Start and Grow Your Business
Shimer Square will offer many opportunities to start and grow your business. Entrepreneurs seeking office or retail space set within the campus setting will benefit from a built-in audience of new Shimer Square residents, families, visitors, new entrepreneurs, and artisans that continue to relocate and start their own business in Mount Carroll.
Commercial buildings in Shimer Square have features not found in typical commercial offerings due to the nature of its location. Thoughtful placemaking is incorporated into the full development effort of Shimer Square, offering a perfect location for your business and employees uniquely set within acres of historic trees and land.
Five (5) business incubators will be created that will be designed to support and grow small business, entrepreneurship, and start-ups.
Commercial buildings in Shimer Square have features not found in typical commercial offerings due to the nature of its location. Thoughtful placemaking is incorporated into the full development effort of Shimer Square, offering a perfect location for your business and employees uniquely set within acres of historic trees and land.
Five (5) business incubators will be created that will be designed to support and grow small business, entrepreneurship, and start-ups.
Sawyer House
GROWTH will be rehabilitating the former President home, Sawyer House, into a Resource Center to provide business development education to support and promote entrepreneurship opportunities and available CDFI small business resources for small businesses wishing to open within Shimer Square. The Resource Center will also be a hub to promote HUD-certified housing counseling services for Carroll County residents to promote GROWTH's HUD-certified housing counseling resources that promotes homeownership, financial literacy, budgeting, fair housing, money management principles, and foreclosure prevention. The Resource Center will also provide fair housing information and other resources and tools to help create wealth-building opportunities for residents within Shimer Square and beyond to help them in their future.
Commercial/ Community Redevelopment Sites
The scope of work defined in early conversations with the project team and key stakeholders is to be a multiyear phased development containing artist/live/work space, senior and family housing, as well as community quality of life amenities. The total development costs exceed $60+ million and to be completed in 5-7 years. Subject to change as opportunities and needs present themselves.
Metcalf Hall- improving and making the necessary repairs to the indoor theatre and converting the remainder of the building into a community-focused events center
Dearborn Hall- repurposing for commercial development
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Infirmary- repurposing for commercial development
Gymnasium- converting to a community center that maintains its original use providing recreational activities
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Howe Hall- converting into a mixed-use development hosting a restaurant, microbrewery, and lodging opportunities
Campbell Library- repurposing into a office/ museum
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Tolman Hall- repurposing into a mixed-use development providing opportunities for arts and retail incubation
