The retail epicenter of a destination trade area exceeding 500,000, with an MSA of 379,940 (Scan/US 2014). The only shopping center in the region with direct interstate off ramp access from the only interstate highway in the region Interstate 74. Together with Simon' s Northwood' s Mall directly across the street which shares its main entrance from Sterling with Westlake the only shopping centers in the region immediately adjacent to the City' s three main arterials: Sterling, War Memorial, and Glen avenues. Combined traffic counts are highest in MSA. Award-winning redevelopment 2007- 2015 turned one of the Peoria metropolitan market' s most respected seasoned centers (opened in 1974) into one of the most beautiful shopping centers in Illinois, dominated with best-of-breed co-tenancy, and the largest interlocking concrete paver parking lot of any shopping center in the United States. Predominantly a white collar economy. Peoria is also headquarters to RLI, Maui Jim, and Caterpillar. Colleges include Bradley University, University of Illinois School of Medicine at Peoria, Illinois Central College, the OSF Medical and Methodist Medical Schools of Nursing; and Midstate College. ICSC Design & Development award-winning shopping center in Central Illinois.