From the Journal Star:
The Downtown AMVETS building should be considered a historic landmark and preserved for future uses, the city’s historic preservation commission decided this morning.
With a 4-2 vote, the commission endorsed an application from the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation to landmark the building at 237 NE Monroe St.
The City Council has the final vote on the landmarking status and is scheduled to do so on Nov. 25.
I have mixed feelings about this. I really do. On the one hand, I agree with the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) that this building should be landmarked. After reading the application, I believe a solid case was made for preserving this 1916 building originally known as the United Duroc Building.
But on the other hand, the timing couldn’t have been worse. The AMVETS need to move, and they had their plans all set. They were going to move to the former Penguin Tap in Peoria Heights. Riverside Community Church was going to buy their downtown building, raze it, and build a new children’s wing. All the arrangements had been made and all they needed to do was close the deal. And then this historic preservation request was filed and scuttled everyone’s plans.
That has made for a lot of hard feelings. It’s no small irony that this happened to a veterans group. “Post 64 Commander Richard Mitchell said the vote was ‘another example of rights we fought for being taken away from us,'” reported the Journal Star.
I hope that preservation groups recognize the spot they put people and organizations in when they wait until the last minute to file preservation applications. Instead of waiting until the wrecking ball is at the door, it would be better if these groups were more proactive. There are a finite number of buildings in Peoria that are worthy of historic designation; make a list, submit it, and be done with it.
Consider, however, that these plans were pretty flawed when they included tearing down this wonderful building. Peoria is unique because of its history and architecture. Or have we become enamored of the view of EP as we cross the Bob Michel? Embassy Suites, chain restaurants. The site is truly breathtaking!
The question becomes who is going to pay to get this building in a usable condition? Amvets probably can’t afford it. The church isn’t going to buy a building that is unusable. The building needs to be brought up to code and that will cost several 100 thousand dollars.
Ben, that is always the big question. The same holds true for Family House on Knoxville–who wants to buy either of these buildings just because they are historic sites. If they aren’t purchased (and that is very likely), they will just become part of an already blighted area. I agree with C.J.–and also believe that the city long ago abandoned a commitment to preserving historic buildings–it’s much too late for a really meaningful effort since most of the old buildings are already gone.
TIF ’em.
Before the Amvets bought this building it was the home of the Duroc Swine Registry. What was it before that?
Maybe I’m thinking of the wrong building, but wasn’t a publishing company once housed in that building? The name escapes me–I may think of it later.
It’s all in the application, to which I linked above:
This is the building I had in mind–must not be the same one: It was Bennett Publishing back in 1955.
Published on October 1, 2006
Peoria Journal Star, The (IL)
Our story about the closing of the Glencoe/McGraw-Hill textbook publishing office in Peoria was brief, registering a mention on an inside page of Thursday’s paper.
But that story, which announced that an internal merger at McGraw-Hill would cause the closure and put about 40 people out of work, did not delve into the long history of textbook publishing in Peoria. When the office closes in late November, it will end 107 years in business.
What is now Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
I think it is the Bennett Publishing building because the application C.J. provided mentions a Manual Arts Publisher. Charles Bennett was the owner of the company–and he wrote this book:
Bennett, Charles Alpheus HISTORY OF MANUAL AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION UP TO 1870
Peoria, IL Manual Arts Press (1926) 8vo. cloth 461+(1) pages
History from before the Renaissance until 1870, focusing on education. Contains 48 black-and-white illustrations throughout. Chronological charts and index at the end. With the pencil signature of Gavin Bridson. Spine ends and corners worn. Pencil underlining in first two chapters. Title page tail slightly torn, minor shelfwear.
Price: $ 25.00 other currencies Order nr. 99734
Seems like an entity unaffiliated with a building’s ownership should have to pay more than a simple $50.00 filing fee to designate a property historic. The owners of this building will be inconvenienced by much more than $50.00 if this is approved by the City Council and to have the designation dropped on them at the last minute is inappropriate.
Someone should “accidently” take it down in the middle of the night. I nominate Pat Nichting….he likes Miggs Field like actions.
The church has an old large tree next to it, maybe the tree could “accidently” fall on the Amvets building.