Mattoon could be one step closer to landing its next major employer… The City of Mattoon has just been awarded a sizable $150,000 “Illinois Regional Site Readiness Planning” Grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
The grant will fund engineering and planning studies for a 235 acre industrial plot, with a specific focus on evaluating the water and sanitary sewer capabilities the area would need to support just about any future development. It’s the kind of work that happens behind the scenes, away from ribbon cuttings and announcements, but it’s some of the more critical work needed for economic development. Without it, prospective employers can’t seriously consider a site, no matter how much land is available or the cost of it.
This latest grant builds directly on what was already awarded from last year, when Mattoon received an over $2 million dollar ‘Regional Site Readiness Capital Grant.’
That funding went toward substation improvements used to increase electrical capacity at Mattoon Enterprise Park, another piece of infrastructure companies weigh heavily when deciding where to locate. Combined, the two grants are part of an approach to prepare Mattoon’s industrial land for development. The alternative? Not having it ready to break ground for prospective businesses, something that slows down investment big time and can keep it from happening altogether.
City officials say each phase of this planning gets Mattoon closer to welcoming new businesses, supporting the employers already here, and creating job opportunities for local residents. They thanked the State of Illinois, DCEO, their economic development partners at Coles Together, and the landowners involved in the project for helping turn years of planning into progress in the city’s official press release. The goal is straightforward: reduce the amount of barriers that keep new investment away, and position Mattoon to compete for the kind of economic growth that strengthens the community for several generations potentially.
What business might you like to see come to the Mattoon area?
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