In 2019, Northspan completed two projects with one of its longest-running community partners, the City of Sandstone. These reports use Northspan’s research capabilities, both through on-the-ground interviews and economic analysis, to give communities like Sandstone a better understanding of their assets, challenges, and opportunities for future growth.
The first of these two efforts conducted 15 business visits in the city and targeted many smaller, Main Street-type community institutions (Sandstone BRE Report) . These visits gave Sandstone businesses a confidential outlet to share their thoughts on the local business climate and the broader community. A second study investigated the city’s economic base and explored opportunities for rail uses in the business park based on that research (Sandstone Rail Study Report). Both reports provided a series of recommendations that give Sandstone pathways toward
In 2020, Northspan continued its work with Sandstone. With the BRE and Rail Studies two studies in hand, we compiled their recommendations along with recommendations from numerous additional studies completed by the city in the recent years to develop a comprehensive list. We worked with Sandstone to prioritize among the myriad ideas and lay out steps to turn them into action. The final result was a Community Development Initiative Narrative completed in 2020 that helped the city pursue funding for a major housing redevelopment project. Contact Karl Schuettler at kschuettler@northspan.org to learn more about Northspan’s efforts in Sandstone.