SWOT Analysis for the Kankakee Zone

Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunities | Threats | Suggested Projects

* Denotes Top Priorities

Strengths

1. Proximity to I-65 corridor*
2. Agriculture: Dairy and Specialty Farming*
3. Overall quality of life
4. Good work ethic and pool of workers
5. Safe place to live (perception)
6. Green space

Weaknesses

1. Jobs: Lack of living wage, diverse and higher earning income potential*
2. Population: Small in numbers
3. Highway Infrastructure: Inadequate
4. Former Marsh: One-quarter drained
5. E-infrastructure installed lacks port of access

Opportunities

1. Purdue Tech Center and West Lafayette Purdue*
2. Not too late to practice balanced land use planning*
3. K-12 schools
4. Green space and recreation; Development of tourism
5. Industry clusters: Tech and Dairy
6. South suburban highway and new highway interchanges
7. Peotone Airport: Growth

Threats

1. Bureaucracy of state government: State in control of local interests*
2. Inability to attract business*
3. Loss of farmland
4. Lack of electronic infrastructure
5. Big corporations pushing out small business
6. Lack of financial capacity and local taxing authority
7. Peotone Airport: Loss of farmland and green space

Suggested Projects

1. Build the highway interchanges*
2. Conduct comprehensive infrastructure survey: Electronic, roads, sewer, utility, drainage*
3. Support Brownfield redevelopment to protect sprawl to Kankakee green space
4. Lakeshore: Study how Kankakee relates to this resource
5. TIFs: Look at feasibility of use in Kankakee Zone
6. Adopt strategy of a welcoming context for the increased diversity in population