Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Another round of state funding is being made available that’s helping sites like the former Pillsbury plant, so it can have new life.
Governor JB Pritzker held a news conference Tuesday at the former Pillsbury plant, to announce another $30 million in money from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity‘s (DCEO) Regional Site Readiness Plan. It provides money for planning, and more for demolition and other needs.
It’s the sort of thing that Pritzker said the state just didn’t do years ago, but should have.
“Illinois was failing to invest in the foundational elements of growth for the state and our communities — especially cities, small towns, and rural areas in central and southern Illinois,” said Pritzker. “They were left out, and left behind.”
But the program is helping, and sending an important message, said Kristi George, head of the Illinois Economic Development Corporation, formerly known as “Intersect Illinois.”
“Illinois is open for business,” said George. “We are ready to work with you. We are investing in the communities that power our economy, and we are creating the conditions for companies and people to thrive. These investments simplify what can often be a complex, capital-intensive site selection process.”
The plan is how the former Pillsbury plant was able to move this far into the demolition process, part of a larger five-year plan for the site, said Chris Richmond, the head of Moving Pillsbury Forward.
“We took a series of actions — actions that ultimately resolved the legal and environmental challenges of the site, actions that prepared for today’s ongoing demolition, and actions that are setting the stage for renewal, all with the community-centered purpose of bringing a sense of opportunity back to this area,” said Richmond.
The Pillsbury plant closed in 2001. During its heyday, Richmond says as many as 12,000 people lived within one mile of the plant.
State officials say there are thousands of sites like Pillsbury around the state that can be revived with state assistance.
