Michael McPeek says he didn’t have to look beyond MacArthur Boulevard for his master’s degree project in urban renewal.
McPeek, whose daytime job is in maintenance with the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, has spent his free time since last fall working on ideas for improving the appearance of one of Springfield’s most heavily developed corridors.
“History has always interested me, and urban development,” said the Taylorville native, who moved to an area just off MacArthur about a year ago.
McPeek, 30, signed on as an intern with the MacArthur Boulevard Business Association as part of his work toward a master’s in environmental studies and planning at the University of Illinois Springfield.
He is scheduled to graduate in May and plans to share hise project results with MBBA. This week alone, McPeek said, he met with 15 to 20 shop owners.
McPeek was featured in an March 24, 2012, article in The State Journal-Register.
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