Uptown’s Quagmire & a Way Forward?

Note: this piece has been in the works since late 2024, and the quagmire around the Uptown underpass and Trail East debacles only serves to underline our main arguments. 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 areContinue reading "Uptown’s Quagmire & a Way Forward?"

Fundraising Apparel Store!

Please click the button below to go to the Meltdown Creativeworks-sponsored fundraising apparel store for Strong Towns Blono! It will be open between now and the first week of April 2026. Click for the Store! Navy and maroon colors Different options: Tee shirts Embroidered polos Crewnecks Quarter-zips Hoodies Union-printed at Meltdown Proceeds will go toContinue reading "Fundraising Apparel Store!"

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!"

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"

Strong Towns Blono

Doing the Next Smallest Step to Improve our Hometowns

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