Construction for Taylor University’s Main Street Mile Initiative is moving ahead smoothly. Project leaders report steady progress toward transforming the area into a more welcoming and connected community space.
Project Background
The planning stage for the Main Street Mile Initiative took two years as staff gathered input from more than a thousand stakeholders, according to the Main Street Mile Initiative's website.
Marsh Collective, a national construction planning firm, led the visioning process and identified priority development opportunities that align with Upland’s expected growth and the expanding enrollment at Taylor University.
Taylor University is using a node-place development strategy with two main developments, it stated.
According to Science Direct, a node-place model is an analytical framework used to evaluate development by addressing a balance between place function as well as public transportation.
One of the nodes is the downtown node will support mixed-use retail, office space, micro-retail, restaurant growth and an expansion of the public library.
The second node is the hospitality node, situated near the university, is planned to include a collegiate inn and event venue, guest cottages and residential units which target people who are aged 55 years and up allowing more people to become a part of the community.
“I’m so excited about the Main Street Mile Initiative,” Skip Trudeau, vice president for student development and intercollegiate athletics, said. “This investment represents such a major advancement for what I think of as the symbiotic relationship between Taylor and the Upland community.”
Project Update
Recent progress on the construction has provided clarity about project plans for those working on it, especially as things begin taking shape, Andrea Masvero, executive director of 1846 Enterprises, said.
The Historic Church in downtown Upland on Washington Street was originally supposed to be repurposed as a childcare center.
However, the grant request was unsuccessful, so the church building will be used as a temporary office space for the advancement team, Masvero said.
When the advancement team moves back on campus, the space will be reused for the community, she said.
“Other than that, most of the projects are generally still on track as proposed,” Masvero said. “Timelines have shifted a little bit, but generally the scope of the work is the same.”
The timeline shift is difficult to explain as there are many moving pieces to the puzzle, she said.
Masvero confirms they remain on track to finish the project by the time their grant period ends in December 2028.
There will be a pause this winter on construction with hope of beginning site work at the hospitality node, said Masvero.
The work isn’t finished yet, but town and university leaders say they’re excited to see the changes taking shape,, Masvero said.
A lighting ceremony, where the ballard lights along the Main Street sidewalk were turned on, signified a completed phase on Thursday, Oct. 2.
“Being able to see people walking up and down Main Street,” Masvero said. “And groups of students being able to visit Ivanhoes or the grocery store, or residents and people with disabilities being able to have easy access to other parts of town is a really great symbol and practical connection for the community.”
Masvero stressed that the committee would love community help in supporting and assisting locals. In fact, they launched a website allowing people to do just that.
The website is called Main Street Connect, and people can find posted volunteer opportunities there, said Masvero.
“We’re hopeful that these projects create opportunities for campus and the town to connect as a community together as a whole,” Masvero said.
For Upland and Taylor University, the project is more than new pavement and buildings — it’s an investment in people, connection and the shared future of the community.
