Bloomington Mayor Discusses ‘Hive’ of Economic Activity
The mayor of Bloomington says work continues to overcome one of the city’s greatest challenges: converting to a "new age" economy from a manufacturing-focused heritage. John Hamilton says one high-potential tool in the mission is the Trades District, a 12-acre portion of Certified Technology Park downtown that used to be home to Shower’s Brothers Furniture Co. The new vision for the property involves a "thriving cultural and economic destination."
In an interview during a special edition of Inside INdiana Business Television focused on Bloomington, Hamilton described the work already that has already started in the transformation of the district. "We’re really just beginning to kick off to convert one of those old buildings, an old furniture factory — beautiful old building — to kind of the center of the hive with the incubator energy, new company startup and then building around it," Hamilton said, talking about TASUS Corp., which is planning to invest $9.2 million into a new headquarters and research and development facilities. He says the city is also talking with other companies about the property.
The Trades District, Hamilton told Host Gerry Dick, plays into the city’s efforts to build on the "fantastic energy, vibe, activity" to attract residents to live, work and play. Building awareness of some 50 tech-enabled companies that call Bloomington home and growing the mass of businesses locating downtown are additional pieces of the puzzle Hamilton says he hopes the Trades District will boost.
See more about plans for the Trades District: