Downtown Champaign Hotel Development
This isn't exactly the freshest story, but I've not seen it discussed at all, which surprised me.
The News-Gazette reported on July 27th about the proposal One Main Development is offering to the Champaign City Council in September. A 100 to 120 room hotel with retail and commercial space going under the name Two Church would be located on the block between Neil and Randolph streets and Church and Hill streets. The project has to be approved by the city, as it would be occupying two city owned parking lots as part of the site.
Cynthia E. Faullin, Director of Development at One Main, was on the WCIA Morning Show with Jennifer Hendricks about two weeks ago discussing the project as well. She noted that this building would be around 250,000 square feet in size (dwarfing the 134,000 sq. ft. One Main building), and that there would be 65 to 100 condominiums and a 400- to 500-vehicle parking deck built to offset the spaces that the new structure would occupy. Thankfully, the parking deck would be built first.
According to both Faullin and Cody Sokolski, the tentative timetable for the building project is to break ground next spring. Projected time to completion would be about a year. Investors in the project would be Sokolski, Mike Royse, Mary Ann Royse, the Nieto Group and Mike Kulas.
Any thoughts? I'm interested to see the eventual floor plan for this place. I'm also curious as to what businesses will occupy the retail, as the emphasis on One Main has been local businesses.
posted by greymatter @ 9:10 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Greymatter: You're right that this was under-discussed, although it's worth point that local blogger "Old Guy" did a post about it on his blog when the story broke.
Ms. Slam: I couldn't agree more with what you've written, especially the last sentence. While I really am impressed with all of the businesses on the ground floor of One Main, it is still surprising that Cody & Co. didn't include a small grocery/drug store down there. If you're going to try and make downtown Champaign a residential community as well a commercial one, then a place to purchase food and what not would seem almost to fall into the 'need' category, not just a 'want.'
There's an Osco pharmacy like 5 blocks from downtown. I guess to me, downtown doesn't have to be entirely self-sufficient. There's plenty nearby to sate the needs of people living there. The strength is in differentiating the offerings (like Persimmon Grocery) in order to bring people in. You can get milk and eggs cheaper from places like wal-mart because of the bulk ordering. Little grocers aren't going to do enough business to be vital.
Another place to revitalize would be the hideous Jos. Kuhn building. That thing is a friggin eyesore. Rumor is that the property owner just doesn't take the interest needed to keep up the place. There are tons of spaces for offices or apartments up there, but it looks pretty dilapadated.
Post a Comment
<< Home