Village of Peotone

When the Village of Peotone dreamed of a thriving, walkable downtown that would attract visitors and energize its economy, they knew they needed more than just ideas. The Village needed funding, expertise, and a plan that would resonate with the community. Upland Design jumped at the chance to assist this rural town in Will County. Working with local leaders, the Upland team created a captivating master plan and then identified, wrote and won a $2.5 million dollar grant through the  DCEO Rebuild Illinois Main Street to bring this vision to life. 

The Village of Peotone faced a familiar challenge in many small towns: a once-bustling downtown corridor that no longer reflected the vitality or potential of the community. Outdated infrastructure, limited pedestrian access, lack of aesthetic cohesion, and underutilized public spaces hindered economic development. The Village and Upland got to work creating meaningful plans that established a comprehensive vision to implement positive change. The project encompassed multiple phases:   

• Thorough site analysis 
• Stakeholder and community engagement 
• The creation of three distinct design concepts 

These concepts featured unique lighting, paving materials, gateway and street signage, site furniture, pedestrian access and seating, high-quality parkway treatments, and designated festival areas. A community Zoom webinar was conducted to gather public input, ensuring the designs reflected the community's vision. A final master plan for the downtown was completed and updated. 

Upland Design then authored a grant application to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to help pay for the grand vision to remake the downtown. 

This effort resulted in the Village of Peotone being awarded a $2.5 million grant through the Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets (RDMS) Capital Program. This substantial funding is allocated toward the construction of the downtown streetscape enhancements.  

Phase I construction plans were completed in early 2024, with construction commencing shortly thereafter.  Upland Design's role in both the planning and successful grant acquisition underscores their commitment to fostering vibrant, sustainable communities through innovative landscape architecture and strategic collaboration. The streetscape construction was completed in November of 2024.