Historic downtown Bloomington, Illinois, is often referred to as the heart of Bloomington. The area holds onto historical ties with Abraham Lincoln, the creation of Beer Nuts Co., and early days of State Farm, the largest insurance company in the United States.
Bloomington’s roots are in agriculture, with a history as rich as its soil. The downtown hub serves as a place for people to slow down, work, learn and be entertained. Although the downtown area is experiencing demographic and economic changes, Tricia Stiller, the downtown division manager of community development, said work is being implemented into the community to attract people to the vibrant and humble area of the Midwest town.
“We want people to intentionally park in parking decks, walk into the downtown, slow it down and enjoy the experience,” Stiller said. “We are encouraging people to plan their down time.”
Today, one walking through the streets will come across a large business professional scene with a number of government buildings in the area, such as the McLean County Courthouse. Along with professional features are an abundance of restaurants and bars that serve as great gathering places during the day while attracting a lively crowd at night. The Museum of History, multiple galleries, local retail stores, musical entertainment spots, and other independent business buildings come together in this hub where a community of artists in the area practice and share their work with the town.
The United States Census Bureau estimated Bloomington’s population to be about 78,000 in 2016. This number does not include the town’s twin city, Normal, Illinois, which adds another 54,264 people to the area. The majority, 84.9 percent, of Bloomington’s population are white, with 8.6 percent black, and 3 percent Asian.
Stiller said downtown Bloomington is attracting a robust blend of baby boomers who are experiencing empty nests and young professionals wanting a fresh vibe.
“People are seeking that kind of experience and it is creating a wonderful opportunity to kind of blend the generations,” she said. “They want to downsize. They want to live a life without clutter. They want to have a pedestrian life, access to public transit and to be able to walk to their destinations.”
The median household income in Bloomington is $63,115, which is a little higher than the national average of $59,039. Almost half of Bloomington’s residents, 47 percent, have received a bachelor’s degree or higher too. This may be a result of the three colleges in the area: Illinois Wesleyan University, which is near downtown, and Illinois State University and Heartland Community College in the adjacent town, Normal.
Another contribution to the high education rate in the town is the number of employment opportunities at large companies in Bloomington, such as insurance companies, hospitals and schools. According to Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, State Farm Insurance Co. is by far the largest employer in town with 14,532 employees in the three State Farm Bloomington offices.
Until recently, the 89-year-old original State Farm headquarters building was occupied by employees. According to an April 2018 Pantagraph article, State Farm closed this building and transferred the remaining 150 employees who worked downtown to other locations.
Stiller said cutbacks, layoffs and the transferring of employees to other State Farm locations in the country have significantly impacted the day time population of downtown causing a close to 20 percent drop in sales.
“Our businesses are suffering a little bit,” she said. “Several hundred employees would take their lunch break and coffee breaks downtown.”
Joe Klasen, a hair stylist in Bloomington, said he has already lost two clients in the past year because either they or their spouses job were transferred to a different location.
Realtors too are scrambling to sell houses because of the number of people being relocated to maintain employment with the company.
“Our Bloomington bubble has a whole in it,” Stiller said. “But we are aware of that, and we are working collectively as a community to try to patch that before it gets any worse.”
This is not the first catastrophe Bloomington has seen. Stiller said downtown Bloomington has lost a portion of its area to fires and other disasters, but the town is always able to rebound with Midwest resilience.
“We know how to pick ourselves up from our roots and keep going,” she said.
Many new entrepreneurs have emerged and chosen Bloomington as their home base. One of those being the owner of Epiphany Farms who travelled to New York and Los Angeles to pursue a culinary career knowing he would end up in Bloomington where the soil would be best for his business.
Stiller said people travel a great distance just to enjoy the quality of food and the culinary mastery available through Epiphany Farms and the five restaurants the farm owns.
“We are going to keep on top of trends because the world is ever changing,” she said.
The downtown community development team is in discussion of a rebrand, and they are working hard to make sure the amenities, such as Wifi, is available throughout the area. Stiller said a lot more artwork and bike lanes will be added in the future. She predicts in the next few years people across the country will recognize Bloomington for the dynamic destination that it is.