What is Riverside Commons?
How did we get here?
Creating a magnetic destination that draws people – whether to live, do business, or visit – is virtually impossible without a concrete strategy.
The City of Loves Park and the Parks Chamber of Commerce sought to address this by creating a planning strategy that highlighted the unique characteristics of our community and identified the challenges to future growth.
The vision for Riverside Commons is the product of the Placemaking in The Parks initiative, a multi-year strategy to encourage job and business growth in The Parks by creating neighborhoods and corridors where people want to live, visit and invest. Led by The Parks Chamber of Commerce, with the assistance of Place Foundry LLC, the core of this initiative is the creation of placemaking strategies for six high-impact corridors, or “Districts,” across the two municipalities.
Riverside Commons is the first of these Districts to receive a comprehensive placemaking strategy. This process was divided into two steps: Place Mapping, which consisted of a market analysis and initial land use scenario for the District, and Place Blueprinting, which elaborated upon that research and delivered a final comprehensive plan for Riverside Commons. The results of those two stages are available for download and view below.
Read the Plans
Placemaking in The Parks:
District 1 (Riverside Commons) Place Map
Riverside Commons Blueprint
Who We Are
City of Loves Park
The City of Loves Park is a flourishing residential, commercial, and industrial community in Northern Illinois. The City has various housing options, employment options, and recreational opportunities. Located 80 miles Northwest of Chicago, Loves Park is along the beautiful Rock River with easy access to I-90. Whether you are looking for a state park for camping, boating, and fishing, a booming commercial and industrial sector, or a minor league baseball game, Loves Park is a close-knit community that offers it all.
Place Foundry
Place Foundry is a place development consulting firm based in Rockford, IL. Place Foundry helps property owners, municipalities, and economic development organizations implement strategies that create magnetic destinations for commerce, housing, learning, and healthy living.
The Parks Chamber of Commerce
The joint chamber of commerce for Loves Park and Machesney Park. The Parks’ primary mission is to help businesses in the region succeed with the right tools, connections, and resources. The Chamber advocates for a competitive business climate, collaborating with public, private, and nonprofit partner organizations to help The Parks grow equitably and sustainably. The Chamber actively represents its members’ business interests, leveraging relationships with local leaders and elected officials