How do you attract young, talented Millennials — the kind of people who can live anywhere — to your city? Create some serious fun, but with an equally serious purpose.
Raise the Roof was a progressive party in downtown Rockford, held on four different rooftops — three of which contained new urban loft developments. For example Burnham Lofts, Rockford’s first skyscraper, designed by architect Daniel Burnham. Each building had its own theme tied to a story about the building’s history.
The $150-per-ticket event sold out. It established Rockford as a city on the move, and provided area Realtors with a month of media opportunities. One direct result was a new $500 million, 150-room hotel and convention center built in one the city’s oldest manufacturing buildings.
Raise the Roof also generated $166,418 to repair Frank Lloyd Wright’s Laurent House, which is the only home Wright designed specifically for a handicapped person.