Community Invited to Groundbreaking for Goshen Commons in Downtown Edwardsville

EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville is inviting the community to attend as the Goshen Commons downtown park project takes a big step forward. Mayor Art Risavy and City officials will be joined by Rep. Katie Stuart and other guests at 9 a.m. Monday, April 20, 2026, for a groundbreaking at the site of the planned pedestrian plaza and park space in the heart of downtown Edwardsville.

Goshen Commons will repurpose one block of St. Louis Street between North Main Street and Second Street and the adjacent courtyard into a pedestrian-friendly public park. It will incorporate green space, including trees and various plantings; an expansive gathering area; walkways and seating areas; shade structures; festoon-style lighting; a video screen; restrooms and game tables.

Vehicle access to the area was closed in January in anticipation of this project and to accommodate the ongoing North Main Street water main replacement and streetscape construction.

The site is the longtime home of the Land of Goshen Community Market, and upon completion, will again host the popular seasonal market, which will shift to City Park, 101 S. Buchanan, for the 2026 season. Goshen Commons also will be available for daily public use as well as Parks & Recreation special events and gatherings.

“Goshen Commons will be such an incredible complement to our wonderful downtown and our local businesses,” Mayor Risavy said. “This park will be used and appreciated by so many people on a daily basis in addition to those who come for the many events we envision happening here.”

The $3.95 million park got an early boost from Rep. Katie Stuart, who facilitated a $2 million member-directed initiative through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to support economic vitality. Goshen Commons was announced in August 2024 in conjunction with Rep. Stuart’s funding initiative.

“I’m excited for this pedestrian-friendly project to get underway,” Rep. Stuart said. “When it opens this fall, it will be a wonderful, active addition to downtown Edwardsville that will be enjoyed in so many ways every day.”

Additional costs to construct Goshen Commons will be paid out of the Edwardsville Enhancement Fund, which was established with a quarter-percent sales tax, effective January 1, 2024, for green space purchases, park projects, capital projects and public safety pensions.

Construction for Goshen Commons recently got underway. Barring unforeseen delays, the park is expected to open for public use in the fall. S.M. Wilson & Co. is serving as the general contractor for the project, while Lochmueller Group is the project engineer and Arcturis is the project architect. For more details and updates on the park progress, please visit: www.cityofedwardsville.com/cityprojects

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