Moline is receiving a special designation announced by a special guest visiting the Quad Cities on Wednesday, May 30th, 2012.
Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon held a press conference this morning to announce that Moline is now an "Illinois Main Street" community. Rock Island also shares the designation.
Being an "Illinois Main Street" community is all about revitalization, which Moline has seen in several ways from building living spaces downtown, including the new Enterprise Lofts.
The Moline Centre Main Street organization applied for the designation in 2008 and has worked to balance their support for old businesses while filling in empty storefronts along streets like 5th Avenue.
The "Illinois Main Street" designation also celebrates successful projects in Moline like Western Illinois University's new riverfront campus and the makeover of the John Deere Pavilion, all which bring more people to the area.
Pam Owens, with Moline Centre Main Street, says it also shows the teamwork that goes on between many different groups in the city.
"I think one of the things that is most unique about Moline is just the total cooperation from so many elements in our community," says Owens. "We work cooperatively with Renew Moline and the Historic Preservation Commission. There are so many people working to make our downtown a revitalized area."
Being a Main Street community also means looking forward to the future with soon-to-be projects like the new KONE building, the Quad City Amtrak Station, and the second phase of WIU's riverfront campus, set to break ground in the fall.
After today's press conference, Lieutenant Governor Simon is visiting the Rock Island Arsenal. She is meeting the new Army General and showing her support for a new piece of legislation called the Federal Workforce Act, which would boost government contracts with civilian companies.