The Westside neighborhood planning process brought together leaders from the City of Bloomington, State Farm, the Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area, as well as neighborhood associations and numerous public agencies, private firms and non-profit organizations. With a commitment to neighborhood revitalization, these leaders formed a Task Force to leverage public and private resources and to jump-start the quality-of-life planning effort.
Teska Associates, Inc. led the Task Force in the process of comprehensive community development. Three large and well-attended community summits were convened, which focused the Task Force's work on six key themes: community greening, youth, safety and well-being, economic development, housing and education. Projects, such as a new community garden, were initiated within weeks of the first summit, generating momentum from these early successes and building enthusiasm for the entire revitalization process. The plan that emerged contains 55 specific action projects with responsible parties committed to their implementation. Such projects range from establishing gateways to revitalizing streetscapes, reinvesting in housing, and redeveloping a shopping corner into a mixed-use development.
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