304 – Commerce Bank Building
Peoria Reflection #304
tls1995: “The Commerce Bank Building reflecting off of the Becker Building downtown Peoria.”
Exactly; although I did have to drive past to confirm this. I’m not always so artsy with my photographs, but I am trying and I like the way the window bends the angles of the Commerce building. I can’t find evidence in my brief search, but I’m fairly confident that the light atop the building gave the weather forecast, such as red for storms or white for sunny skies. Can anyone confirm this?
What follows is an interesting article and photo from the Journal Star dated July 19, 2008.
The elevators in the Commerce Bank building stop at the 16th floor. That’s where business and public access ends, but the journey doesn’t stop there.
A flight of stairs opens into an abandoned 17th floor that once housed an office, now dilapidated from years of sitting vacant. Past a locked gate and behind a door stands a tightly-wound spiral staircase that time has seemingly forgot. Rare visitors to this part of the 90-year-old building cling tightly to the railing, which imparts a grimy layer of history onto the hands.
Climbing farther up the cylindrical passageway lit by bare, yellow light bulbs, gusts of wind howl outside what would be the 20th floor. Tucked inside a dome that looks like a bell tower, a narrow door opens. A creeping sense of claustrophobia gives way to a feeling of vertigo and one of the best views the city has to offer.
A catwalk no more than two-feet wide circles the highest point of the building, where the steady blink of a bright light warns airplanes.
It’s an unobstructed, 360-degree view from the brick ledge with a railing, surrounded by decorative stones and nothing but 20 stories of air between the viewer and the streets of downtown Peoria.
It’s an impressive view, and only a handful of people have seen it during the course of about 90 years. The Peoria County Courthouse, the businesses on Main Street, the stop-and-go flow of traffic all take on a new persona from that angle.
“It makes you appreciate our city,” said Jon Walker, property manager with Huber Brothers Corp. Walker formerly managed the Commerce Bank building and now manages others in town.
From time to time, Walker will make the trip to the top and look out across the city.
“You realize when you’re up there how many amenities we have in town,” he said. “You see what a beautiful city we live in.”
July 26th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
The Commerce Bank Building reflecting off of the Becker Building downtown Peoria.
July 26th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
That’s the Commerce Bldg for sure, but the windows don’t look like the Becker Bldg windows to me.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
does anybody know if one can walk up to the top floor ?
August 10th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I’d hate to have to change that light bulb that flashes out from the portals.
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
a friend sent me a link to this site and i just have to say its amazing. great idea. well executed. its funny i was downtown the other day thinking how cool it’d be to visit that light bulb and hang out up there.