There’s a lot that we can do to build a stronger community. Rockford Structures has been proud to call Rockford home for 53 years, and the Heinrich family has roots here that go back farther still. We know that there’s work to be done, but we also know that, like all of you, we have a part to play in building a stronger Rockford.
Community Building Initiatives
For its part, the Rockford City Council inaugurated a Capital Improvement Program in 2011 that continues to this day. Each year since has seen a new five-year capital improvement program targeted at urban expansion and construction for Rockford revitalization. It includes improvements to main and side roads, bike paths, pedestrian walkways, stormwater management, and a number of other infrastructure projects that will make for a stronger, more resilient community. Those investments are already paying dividends in the form of enhanced public safety, a gradually improving local economy, and a growing sense of civic pride among Rockford residents.
Speaking of civic pride, that brings us to another major initiative. Transform Rockford is grassroots-driven. More than just boosterism, this 501(c)3 has a mission to “facilitate the creation and implementation of a strategic plan by the community for the purposes of dramatically improving the social and economic well-being of the community and its residents.” They’re working to bring Rockford from the bottom 50 to the top 25 American cities.
Their work is paying off, too. Progress is slow, but Rockford is moving forward. Diversity, median household income, price parity, city GDP, and wages are all up. Unemployment, income gaps, rents, and vacancies are down. That, of course, raises a question.
Where Do We Come In? And What About You?
What’s sometimes unspoken in the work done by the city government, and to a lesser degree in Transform Rockford’s work, is that infrastructure is only one piece of the puzzle. What they’re really building is opportunity. We’re Illinois’ third-largest city, but we’re not burdened by high costs — for real estate, and for opportunity more generally — like the Chicagoland area. That’s good news if you want to join in building something.
After all, what you’re building is more than a restaurant, a clinic, a store, or a coworking space… or, in our capacity as a public sector construction company, the Rockford buildings we’ve already built, like the Rockford Mass Transit Center (both East and West), Marinelli Field, all Beef-a-Roo locations, and Wanxiang New Energy’s North American manufacturing facility. Your efforts will ripple outward, providing jobs, opportunities, and inspiration to others. You won’t just be building a business or an organization in the process. You’re helping make the city we all call home a better place to be, now and in the future.
Whether you’re waiting for opportunity to knock, or you’ve got bigger ambitions and the will to blaze your own trail, we can help. We know, and love, Rockford. It’s our home and has been for decades. If you’re building here, Rockford Structures is your ideal partner in construction for town revitalization. From architecture to permits, planning, green building, and more, let’s see what we can build together!