Illinois

Landmarks Illinois urges city to continue to look at Bresee options

Published

3 years ago

June 5, 2022

Jun. 4—Landmarks Illinois, a statewide membership-based historic preservation nonprofit group, has despatched a letter to the Danville Metropolis Council relating to the town pursuing the demolition of Bresee Tower.

In accordance with Landmarks Illinois officers, Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. is pursuing demolition of the historic constructing with out contemplating all potential reuse choices.

Landmarks Illinois included Bresee Tower on its Most Endangered Historic Locations in Illinois in 2012 and has been monitoring potential preservation progress on the property, together with being involved with builders who’ve expressed curiosity in rehabilitating the historic constructing, in accordance with Kaitlyn McAvoy, communications supervisor with Landmarks Illinois.

The letter from Quinn Adamowski, regional advocacy supervisor, states Landmarks Illinois is an “on-the-ground advocate, providing technical help, sensible assets, small grants and entry to strategic partnerships to present individuals the instruments they should save essential locations of their communities.”

“Now we have monitored the begins, pauses and lulls in redevelopment efforts. Now we have additionally intently watched media protection over the previous couple of years by which the one public narrative is that the biggest constructing in Vermilion County should be demolished with out giving due consideration to potential reuse. We perceive the place Mayor Williams stands. Nevertheless, with no public debate, it’s unknown the place members of the group, if introduced with all of the information and opinions, would stand on this problem.”

The letter continues, “Now that the town has the deed to the constructing, successfully making Bresee Tower a public-owned construction, civic leaders have an obligation to current taxpayers with all potential choices for its future. If, finally, there isn’t a curiosity in redeveloping Bresee Tower, then the mayor can be confirmed right in his evaluation that, as he said (to media) … “There isn’t any chance for this to be reimagined at this level.” Are the residents of Danville okay with the town spending $3 million, an estimate from 2018, on tearing down a constructing with out investigating potential curiosity for redevelopment?”

“On Sept. 13, 2018, Bresee Tower (formally the First Nationwide Financial institution Constructing) was listed on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations. Along with the popularity as a helpful place worthy of preservation, this designation opens the door to vital monetary incentives for personal reuse. With itemizing on the Nationwide Register, a reuse venture of Bresee Tower might make the most of a 20 p.c Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit score. Communities have leveraged this federal incentive to spark financial exercise and job creation. Bresee Tower provides this chance to Danville. Additionally, there’s an Illinois Historic Preservation Tax Credit score that may be layered with the federal credit score to offer a further 25 p.c credit score for historic rehabilitation initiatives.”

“To be clear, highlighting federal and state historic preservation tax credit is extraordinarily essential to draw skilled builders. Landmarks Illinois has been involved with two builders with curiosity within the property. One in every of them, Celadon Properties, has a proposal to redevelop Bresee Tower utilizing federal and state historic preservation tax credit alongside reasonably priced housing primarily based monetary incentives. We’re conscious that Mayor Williams has had conversations with Celadon Properties about its proposal and that he recommended their venture wouldn’t be a viable use of the constructing. We consider there needs to be a public dialogue concerning the proposal from Celadon Properties, which is assured its proposals is viable. We additionally assist issuing an RFP (request for proposals) that can probably end in proposals from different builders who’ve an award-winning observe document like Celadon Properties.”

“Personal rehabilitation would end in job creation, tax revenues and would keep away from the $3 million price of demolition. We consider a reuse possibility that would generate financial exercise and new property tax revenue, leverage state and federal incentives and stop taxpayer-funded demolition is price contemplating.”

“In accordance with Mayor Williams, the town can be issuing an RFP for demolition. We name on the mayor and different civic leaders to concurrently problem an RFP for redevelopment so that every one choices have a good public listening to. We encourage the Danville Metropolis Council to work with native advocates and organizations like Landmarks Illinois to guage options and leverage incentives earlier than transferring ahead with pursuing the demolition of Bresee Tower.”

The letter additionally was copied to Williams, Logan Cronk with the Metropolis of Danville, state Sen. Scott Bennett, state Rep. Mike Marron and Vermilion Benefit’s Tim Dudley.

Williams went inside Bresee Tower earlier this week and mentioned, “Sadly, it is trashed. It is method worse than I believed it will be.”

He walked by all 12 flooring. The constructing has dangerous infiltration of water the place the carpets on the seventh flooring had been drenched, and there was water injury on different flooring, such because the fourth and fifth flooring, Williams mentioned.

“Sadly, it is simply nasty and terribly far gone,” Williams mentioned.

In response to the Landmarks Illinois letter, Williams mentioned the Collinses had 4 years to do one thing, and nothing was executed. They’ve not fulfilled guarantees made since November 2018, he mentioned.

Williams additionally mentioned basically he is had conversations with potential improvement teams, together with Celadon, however he was not given data he requested.

Town is ready to see if there can be an precise enchantment over the deed switch of Bresee Tower to the town. Metropolis officers are also continuing with demolition RFPs.

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Illinois

How To Watch Illinois vs. USC: Game Time, Odds, TV Channel & Online Streaming

Published

1 hour ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

How To Watch Illinois vs. USC: Game Time, Odds, TV Channel & Online Streaming

How to Watch No. 13 Illinois vs. USC

Game Time: 11 a.m. Saturday

TV Channel: Big Ten Network

Online Streaming: FoxSportsGO

Radio: All Illinois basketball games air live on radio in the Champaign (WDWS-AM 1400) and Chicago (WLS-AM 890) markets. The game will also be broadcasted on other networks throughout the state; check the Fighting Illini Radio Network for more information.

Odds: N/A

Quick Hits

Illinois Fighting Illini (12-3, 4-1 Big Ten)

Head Coach: Brad Underwood (8th Season)

Last Game: 91-52 win over Penn State

Gameday Reading:

USC Trojans (9-6, 1-3 Big Ten)

Head Coach: Eric Musselman (1st season)

Last Game: 82-69 loss to Indiana

What Happened The Last Time These Two Played?

Nov. 19, 2012: Illinois 94, USC 64

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Brandon Paul scored 26 points and Illinois used a hot first half to ride to an easy 94-64 win over USC Monday night at the Maui Invitational.

Illinois shot just under 69 percent in the first half on its way to a 31-point lead at the break. USC pulled no closer than 18 points in the second half despite some sloppy play from Illinois, which finished with 20 turnovers.

The Illini (4-0), who never trailed, also got 13 points from DJ Richardson, 11 from Tracy Abrams and 10 from Tyler Griffey.

USC (2-1) was led by Eric Wise with 13 points.

Illinois plays host team Chaminade on Tuesday. The Division II school knocked off Texas earlier Monday.

By the way, this is weird. Our “GameThread” on TCR (it’s something we used to do for games, you may remember), included this:

“By the time this game is over both USC and the entire state of Hawaii may be in the Big Ten.”

Uhhhhh, good call, Tom Fornelli!

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Illinois

Thornton grad Morez Johnson has career-high 20 points as No. 13 Illinois routs Penn State

Published

9 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Thornton grad Morez Johnson has career-high 20 points as No. 13 Illinois routs Penn State

Ben Humrichous scored a season-high 21 points, Thornton grad Morez Johnson Jr. had a career-high 20 points with 11 rebounds and No. 13 Illinois beat Penn State 91-52 on Wednesday night at State Farm Center in Champaign for its fifth consecutive victory.

Tre White also had 20 points to help Illinois (12-3, 4-1 Big Ten) win with scoring leader Kasparas Jakucionis sidelined by a bruised forearm.

Penn State star Ace Baldwin Jr. aggravated a back injury early in the first half and didn’t play in the second half. He didn’t score, missing all six of his shots.

Nick Kern Jr. had 13 points for the Nittany Lions (12-4, 2-3). Zach Hicks added 11.

Takeaways

Illinois: After sweeping No. 9 Oregon and Washington on a West Coast trip, Illinois was tasked with beating nemesis Penn State without Jakucionis, whose absence was announced just before the game. Humrichous and Johnson made up for the loss of Jakucionis.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions came into the night as the 10th-highest scoring team in the nation, averaging 86.8 points. They had scored a program record 80-plus points in six straight games. Penn State shot 31% against Illinois.

Key moment

A 21-2 Illini run in the first half gave them a 26-13 lead. Penn State missed nine straight shots during the stretch, going 7:56 without a field goal.

Up next

Illinois: Hosts Southern California on Saturday.

Penn State: Hosts No. 9 Oregon on Sunday.

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Illinois

Freshly inaugurated Illinois legislators meet 'critical moment' after lame-duck infighting

Published

17 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Freshly inaugurated Illinois legislators meet 'critical moment' after lame-duck infighting

SPRINGFIELD — After closing out a lame-duck legislative session tainted by internal strife, Illinois Democrats heralded a fresh start Wednesday as the latest class of the Illinois General Assembly enters a daunting budget season and prepares for the second presidency of Donald Trump.

“We meet here this afternoon at a critical moment in the history of our state and our country, and as the elected leaders from our communities, we have some difficult things to do in the days and months ahead,” Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said at his chamber’s inauguration ceremony at the University of Illinois-Springfield.

“Trying to build connection, compassion and community in a time fraught with division and discord — these are challenges created and exacerbated by many factors beyond our control,” Welch said, nodding toward a second Trump administration at odds with Illinois’ supermajority Democratic Party. “The people who sent you here, who gave us this moment, expect us to move forward as one.”

But the Hillside Democrat’s caucus saw discord of its own in a lame-duck session confrontation that enraged Gov. JB Pritzker.

Several House Democrats shouted down Pritzker agency heads during a Monday caucus meeting over a controversial hemp regulation bill, in a heated encounter that ended with at least one staffer in tears and one of Pritzker’s top legislative priorities tanked.

The governor’s office criticized Welch for allowing the berating to happen, while Pritzker publicly slammed Welch for not calling a floor vote for the bill that would have effectively banned most sales of hemp-derived THC products like delta-8.

Pritzker demanded apologies to his staff, and on Wednesday he said “a little of that has happened,” while downplaying the possibility of any bad blood transitioning to the new legislative session as lawmakers grapple with an estimated $3 billion budget deficit.

“Every day is a new day to do the right thing,” Pritzker told reporters after presiding over the Illinois Senate’s inauguration. “People can make mistakes, and certainly mistakes were made and behavior was improper during that caucus. But people can make amends and we can all get along.”

Senate President Don Harmon preached a similar message of unity as he was sworn in for a third full term at the helm of the upper chamber. He advised his colleagues to “treat your neighbors well, stay humble [and] be kind.”

Illinois Senate President walks to his chamber’s rostrum during the Senate inauguration on Wednesday.

Mitchell Armentrout/Sun-Times

“Your seatmates, the members of your caucus, are your neighbors in the Senate. Your time here will be much more pleasant if you are good to them,” Harmon said inside a newly renovated chamber. “The Senate is an active laboratory for coalition building. Forge those bonds and look out for one another.”

Neither leader, nor Pritzker, went far into specifics on their legislative agendas heading into the spring session. While lawmakers ended the previous General Assembly without advancing legislation intended to preempt policies from the incoming Trump administration, “we’re all going to have to be on guard for what the impact of that will be in the state of Illinois,” Pritzker said.

He suggested Trump tariff policies and potential Medicaid cuts could exacerbate the state’s looming budget deficit.

“We don’t know what they’re going to do,” Pritzker said. “We know that we have a gap that we need to fill or that we need to manage in order to have a balanced budget, and I’m confident that we will do that. But it is true that there’s some unpredictable results that may come from Washington.”

Gov. JB Pritzker presides over the Illinois Senate inauguration on Wednesday.

The governor has until the end of May to hammer out a budget with lawmakers. He’ll deliver his initial proposal next month.

Other legislators floated their priorities for the upcoming session, including South Side state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, who highlighted the need for a broad transit funding reform bill to avert a fiscal cliff; and Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, who wants to add safeguards around the use of artificial intelligence in health care.

Republicans, who remain relegated to superminority status in Springfield, voiced frustration with the Democrats’ iron grip on the State Capitol.

“Illinois is a great place to live, and Illinois has always been a state of possibilities, but one-party control has stifled that success,” said House Minority Leader Tony McCombie. Republicans have been outnumbered in the House since 1994, and the Senate since 2000.

“I, like many, was disappointed with our election outcomes, and the ability for us to secure more Republican seats to bring some balance to the General Assembly,” McCombie said. “However, this was not due to a lack of good candidates or hard work, but due to special interests and Illinois’s gerrymandered maps, the most outrageous maps in the nation.”

With over $600 million raised in campaign contributions across all political campaigns in 2024, neither party had much to show for their time and money. The state House and Senate saw no party gain or lose a seat, as Democrats held onto their bicameral supermajority for four straight elections.

Republican Senate Minority Leader John Curran offered a cooperative hand in his chamber, praising Harmon “for making the table more open to the minority party. I look forward to that continued inclusion in the upcoming session.”