Sterling today

Sterling is a city built on the strength of its residents. That strength led to the development of industry, with the city’s first factories being built in the 1850s, some along the banks of the Rock River, so the water could help power them.

Over time, more factories were built, many that manufactured hardware. So much hardware was produced in Sterling that the city was dubbed the Hardware Capital of the World at one point. Though the city is no longer the world’s hardware capital, it’s economic landscape has changed with the times and it’s matured and diversified, giving rise to a balance of industry, commerce and retail business.

In recent months, the city has seen a flurry of economic activity.

Northland Mall saw an almost complete turnaround after new owners, Brookwood Capital Advisors, took over and announced plans to let new businesses move in for 6 months rent-free. The offer filled nearly every spot in the once largely vacant mall. Two new anchor stores also signed on: Hobby Lobby and Midwest Furniture

Just down the road, in Pine Tree Plaza, Harbor Freight moved in to space formerly occupied by Staples.

STERLING TODAY cont’d on page 11

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Meanwhile, a business incubator consisting of six small, free-standing storefronts will be built downtown, with the goal of helping online, in-home or even brand-new startups eventually migrate to their own brick-and-mortar stores.

The Sterling Main Street project, to be called The Shoppes at Grandon Plaza, will be built in the empty lot at 310 Second Ave. The lot was donated by Sterling Today Inc., , a nonprofit economic development group,

To help spur new growth, the city created the Greater Sterling Development Corp., which actively recruits new business to the area. In turn, those new businesses help attract more people to Sterling and spur the construction of new housing.

Sterling Today also spearheaded a project to give a downtown building — the Mercantile, at 117 W. Third St. — a much-needed facelift and is seeking business tenants to fill the 7,500-square-foot main floor. The second and third floors would house residential units.

Elsewhere, work was completed on the city’s first roundabout, at Lynn Boulevard and LeFevre Road, near Meadowlands Business Park, which has become a hub of business and industrial activity. One of the city’s largest employers, Halo Branded Solutions, opened its new, expanded headquarters there in 2018, a business incubator (the former Best Cob building) was recently finished, and a warehouse expansion project has been announced. A second roundabout is also planned for the intersection of Science Ridge Road and state Route 40, on the city’s north side.

Sterling’s leaders also want to improve the quality of life for residents. They realize it’s important to offer top-quality health care, schools and recreational opportunities, as well as jobs, to keep residents happy. STERLING TODAY cont’d to page 12

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One example of those efforts has been the ongoing Sterling Market project, which will expand and upgrade the Twin City Farmers market downtown, at 106 Ave. A.

A covered walkway has been added just west of the Twin City Farmers Market. The marketplace construction is tied to work being done at Sterling Today’s Mercantile building, and is part of a multi-phase project that will include a parking lot and other improvements and landscaping. The project will allow the Farmers Market to expand outdoors and give other events, such as the Harvest Moon Festival and the Hops on the Rock craft beer festival, a bigger and better venue.

The city also is continuing its focus on riverfront redevelopment, including more green space and another roundabout, on Wallace Street.

The staff at Sterling’s city-owned hospital, CGH Medical Center, is committed to attracting and retaining top-notch doctors. In December 2010, the hospital merged with the Sterling-Rock Falls Clinic, now the CGH Main Clinic. In recent years, the hospital completed a $27 million addition, and the clinic has expanded. In 2015, the hospital opened the doors on an $8.6 million expansion of its Emergency Department, and a second cardiac catheterization lab.

Another priority in Sterling is maintaining excellent schools. Six schools and a career center are included in the Community Unit 5 school system, and Sterling has three private schools.

Upon graduation, students can advance their education at Sauk Valley Community College, just a few miles east of town on state Route 2.

The Sterling Park District maintains several parks, an indoor fitness facility and an 18-hole golf course.

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The city also worked with Rock Falls to build a footbridge over the Rock River, allowing residents to hike and bike along the Hennepin Feeder Canal in Rock Falls. The river offers great recreational opportunities each summer for boating, waterskiing and fishing. For those who enjoy the arts, there’s the Woodlawn Arts Academy, a nonprofit created to provide educational opportunities for children and adults in all areas of the arts. Classes vary from visual arts to music and the literary arts to the performing arts. Of course, residents also can take advantage of the entertainment and recreational opportunities available in many of Illinois’ biggest cities, as Sterling is just a 1- or 2-hour drive from Chicago, Rockford, the Quad Cities and Peoria. The city’s easy access to these other major economic centers also makes it more convenient to do business there, which is why Sterling has partnered with Dixon and Rock Falls, and Lee and Whiteside counties to develop the I-88 West Corridor. Together, they’re bringing new business to the Sauk Valley, making it even more attractive to live here. n 12 Get To Know Us: Sterling/Rock Falls | 2022-23