We are a Strong Towns Local Conversation open to everyone in the Bloomington-Normal area. What happens in Normal impacts the rest of the region. We are in favor of infill development anywhere in the twin cities, especially in the urban cores. Walkable city centers and density are imperative to a Strong Town. However, the wayContinue reading "A “New” Normal: Top-Down or Bottom-Up Redevelopment in Uptown?"
Fundraising Dinner March 13th!
What: Homecooked Meal & Learn Our Mission Come help us meet our fundraising goal for 2026! Strong Towns Blono will be offering a wonderful homecooked dinner at the Penthouse of the Monroe Centre (Fox n Hounds Building) hosted by the wonderful Vicki and Tim Tilton. Panoramic views of Bloomington! The dinner will feature hors d'oeuvres,Continue reading "Fundraising Dinner March 13th!"
Strong Towns Blono Podcast Episode 1
https://anchor.fm/s/10ed3cb10/podcast/rss Our first guest of the podcast, longtime local Robbie Osenga of Catalyst Construction talks with Noah about building housing in central Illinois.
Return of Downtown Local Ownership?
After the September 8th 2025 Bloomington City Council meeting, residents of the urban core can now construct the beloved shophouse typology. (I know, it took some time to push this blogpost out the door). Agenda Item number 8.B. standardized the accessory dwelling unit application process (which we will talk about in a separate post), allowsContinue reading "Return of Downtown Local Ownership?"
Strong Towns Blono Member Awards 2025
In order to finish 2025 strong, our organization decided to recognize the members that have made us so successful this year. With over 30 members in attendance on a Thursday evening, we enjoyed games, homecooked food, and each other's company. Presidential Recognition Award Presented to Shea Grehan, the Social Media Director, for creating amazing videoContinue reading "Strong Towns Blono Member Awards 2025"
Notes From the STILL Gathering
Noah, Alan, and I (Tyson) attended the first Strong Towns Illinois (STILL) gathering in Chicago on the weekend of September 27th. Representatives from several Local Conversations across Illinois came together to connect on a variety of topics. Here is what I took away from the experience. Observations and Tips Perspective we should take towards areContinue reading "Notes From the STILL Gathering"
September Executive Committee Updates
The Executive Committee of Strong Towns Blono met on Sunday, September 21st to discuss and pass the following: Resolutions Passed BR2025.11 New Meeting Structure Strong Towns Blono shall enact monthly plenary meetings for its members to be held at a regular date, time, and location. Third Thursday at 5:30pm These meetings will also contain committeeContinue reading "September Executive Committee Updates"
Julia’s Backyard Quest for Accessible Housing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A99FqQC9w9Q ADUs or Accessory Dwelling Units have been legalized on paper in Bloomington, Illinois since 2022. However, many conflicting clauses in the zoning code and use table effectively disallows them from being built. Julia Sutherland has been a resident of central Bloomington for more than a decade and has decided to turn her garage artist'sContinue reading "Julia’s Backyard Quest for Accessible Housing"
Musings from a Midwest Road Trip: Public Markets
My fiancée and I went on an amazing road trip at the end of the summer, and now I am just finding time (by avoiding other pressing matters) to write about my experiences in some new urban environments. During my August trip, I visited Saint Louis, Kansas City, Topeka, Omaha, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee. I hopeContinue reading "Musings from a Midwest Road Trip: Public Markets"
The Importance of Proactive Historic Preservation
I had the pleasure of reading The University of Notre Dame School of Architecture Dean's Charrette of Downtown Gary. Compared to our recently completed amateur Front N Center Design Charrette, this is the gold standard and professional quality. Notre Dame has gained a national and international reputation of being an excellent purveyor of traditional architectureContinue reading "The Importance of Proactive Historic Preservation"