This year's West Bluff Grand Tour of Homes will showcase 7 great houses, including three within Renaissance Park: 423 High Street, 802 Sheridan and 900 Sheridan. This year's event date is Sunday, May 20th and will run from Noon until 5 pm. Find out more here.

Methodist Medical Center has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Illinois.” Methodist is one of ten large companies (250 or more employees) selected in a statewide competition. The rankings were determined through criteria developed by Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, following employee surveys, interviews and workplace assessments.

The iPod Repair Squad was selected as the winner of the first Project Springboard business plan competition. Project Springboard is funded by Junction Ventures, and includes a partnership with Renaissance Park's Bradley University and Converse Marketing. Read more here.

Methodist President and CEO Michael Bryant shared the organization’s vision and goals for a new replacement building and renovation program with members of Peoria’s Downtown Rotary. Total cost of the two-phase project is estimated to be $350 million.

On March 30, 2007, Bryant told Rotarians the planned development is designed to make it easier for patients and visitors to find their way in the hospital, promote greater efficiencies, provide the safest environment for patients, visitors and staff, and facilitate innovations in technology including making the campus all digital, all the time.

Denise Molina has won the 2006 Illinois Associated Press award for best investigative report for her story on home sales and development in Renaissance Park. Listen to the audio clip (.mp3) here.

Helicopters heading to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center have a new landing spot. Life Flight air transport service began to use its new $4.3 million helipad for patient transfers to St. Francis on March 30. Read more here.

The PeoriaNext Innovation Center is on track to open this summer. Watch a video of its progress here.

Art & Society Magazine looks at what makes One World Café, a gathering place for neighbors, students and professionals, such a unique part of Peoria. Read the article
here.

The Milestone Project, OSF St. Francis’ expansion and modernization of the Children’s Hospital of Illinois, has received a pledge of $1M by CEFCU. The project remains on schedule for a ground breaking this summer and opening in 2010. Read more here.

Preliminary research on what a Math, Science and Technology Academy in Renaissance Park might look like was discussed at the February Renaissance Park Commission meeting. The report was presented by Jon Neidy, Director of Bradley's Institute for Learning in Retirement , and members of the MST Explorers. Read more here.