Business & Tech

Glass Studio Owner Takes on Business Leadership Role

Cathi MIlligan, owner of the Glass Studio on York Bouelvard, was recently named chair of the HHPNC's economic development committee, and she said she has the energy to help local business flourish.

Cathi Milligan, owner of the on 5052 York Blvd., was recently named chair of the l's economic development committee.

Milligan held the first meeting of the committee last Friday evening and said she is confident she can play a key role in spurring business development along the busy Highland Park thoroughfare.

Milligan's goals are twofold. First, she said the committee will focus on ensuring improved city services for the neighborhood, which means more frequent trash pickup and street cleaning and the repair of non-functioning street lights.

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"Having this committee gives me the opportunity to talk directly to Council District 14 about the things we would like to see on on York Boulevard," she said.

The second goal, Milligan said, is to communicate with members of the community to determine what kind of business development they would like to see on the boulevard.

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For example, Milligan said that at the first economic committee meeting, during which the future of the building on York Boulevard was discussed, community members overwhelmingly advocated in favor of bringing a noodle shop to the neighborhood.

As the chair of the economic development committee, Milligan said it will be her job to help facilitate that kind of development in a responsible way.

"What we need to find out is, what are people's favorite noodle shops?" Milligan said. "We need to reach out to businesses that have had some success in other places and are more inclined to survive the first two or three years it takes to catch on."

Milligan continued, "I'll also be trying to reach out to real estate agents and letting them know that it's in their best interest to bring strong business owners in the area. I don't want to see another 99-Cent store, or a business owner that doesn't care or is inexperienced."

The meeting of the HHPNC's economic development committee is tentatively scheduled to take place on the second week of August, either on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening.

In the meantime, Milligan plans to host a social for NELA Business Culture, another local organization geared toward sparking development in Highland Park. The party is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 23 between 7 and 11 p.m. at the Glass Studio.


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