Located in Liberty Park along the riverfront, renowned local artist Preston Jackson describes it in his resume as follows:
Private Commission donated to the City of Peoria
“Our Town”, 10 X 12 foot Steel Cityscape, Painted Steel
SA says: “That would be the floor under the gazebo in Liberty Park, which CILCO developed. It shows Peoria’s histroy.”
City-Data.com says: “American soldiers built Fort Clark in 1813; today the fort is commemorated in the riverfront Liberty Park Pavilion.”
PeoriaRiverfront.com says: “The Gazebo offers a supreme setting for outdoor weddings, concerts or family gatherings. Open to the public, also available for private rentals.”
Photo courtesy of Morton Malaise.
Located at the near the ramp to the boat docks on the riverfront, just north of Cefcu Center Stage at the Landing.
The Clean River, Healthy Riverfront website describes the problem:
Combined sewer overflows are a century-old problem in more than 700 U.S. communities, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest. Illinois has more than 100 communities with combined sewers, which combine sewage and stormwater into the same pipe.
During dry weather, sewage flows safely through the City’s sewers to the Greater Peoria Sanitation District wastewater treatment plant. However, about 28 times a year melting snow or rainwater can overwhelm the sewers, causing untreated sewage to overflow into the Illinois River.
Peoria must examine its sewer overflows and prepare a long-term control plan that meets Clean Water Act requirements and protects the Illinois River. This plan must be submitted to U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA by December 2008.
Those interested can sign up for an email notification whenever an overflow alert is in effect.
Who would want to visit this place?
Sorry to keep you all waiting. I was sort-of surprised that anyone figured this out, but behold Woodford_AL: “well… is near the river, obviously on the Peoria side. Looks like the end of spring street, near Detweiller Marina? A nice place for a condo, I suppose.”
What I think is exciting news, via the Peoria Journal Star, Feb 15, 2008:
A riverfront housing development at the foot of Spring Street could begin this summer, more than three years since an agreement for its construction was approved by the City Council.
The Fountain Grass development still calls for housing on 1.3 acres overlooking Lower Peoria Lake south of Detweiller Marina and north of a city-owned park and the RiverPlex.
Unlike prior plans, the housing complex is not being considered for luxury condominiums.
Developer Keith Weinstein, president of Graystone Realty Group, said Thursday he is mulling over whether to develop condominiums, apartments or a mixture of both, when the 44-unit, four-story complex is built. It will include a clubhouse, billiard room, fitness area and underground parking.
“I think it’s exciting,” Mayor Jim Ardis said. “I think people are looking toward the Downtown (with an interest of) living down there, and this will contribute to the options that are out there.”
Each unit, whether it’s rented or owned, features one or two bedrooms. The average size of each unit is 1,000 square feet.
“I’m waiting to see what the market does here,” Weinstein said on whether to build condos or apartments he estimates will be priced between the upper $100,000 to upper $200,000 range.
Craig Hullinger, the city’s economic development director who is pushing for redevelopment along the riverfront north of the RiverPlex, said Weinstein’s plans could be attractive to younger professionals.
“It’s a better price point for redevelopment, and he’s shooting for a lot of younger people,” Hullinger said. “The pricier you get, the smaller the potential buyers there are.”
Weinstein’s development comes after Jim Simantel of Simantel Properties LLC gave up his plans to develop luxury condos priced at more than $500,000.
Simantel said last month that an increase in the cost of construction materials after Hurricane Katrina made his project “too expensive to build.”
Weinstein praised Simantel for moving forward in getting a developer’s agreement with the city approved. Because of that, Weinstein might not need a new agreement. He will, however, have to get Simantel’s agreement amended to reflect increased costs for reconstructing Spring Street, among other things.
Hullinger said the estimates in 2004 showed the redevelopment of Spring Street to include new sidewalks, street lights and road work costing about $600,000. Those costs have since increased to $720,000, Hullinger added.
Weinstein’s development is located in the city’s Northside Riverfront tax-increment finance district, allowing extra property tax revenue generated to help offset infrastructure improvements, such as the redevelopment of Spring Street.
The Northside Riverfront TIF also includes the Taft Homes, RiverPlex and PMP Fermentation Products Inc. The TIF expires in 2018.
Weinstein’s development will likely be a welcomed addition to plans Hullinger is pushing for the redevelopment of city-owned park property north of the RiverPlex to include urban townhouses. Hullinger also said a proposed Riverside Drive will be able to run near Weinstein’s development.
In addition, the “Greed Edge” redevelopment plan Hullinger is eyeing for more public park-like space along the riverfront north of Downtown is also moving ahead. Hullinger will present his plans on that development before the city’s planning commission next week.
The Powell Press Building, formerly known as the John Schwab Grocery, was moved with the help of Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation from it’s original location at 214 NE Washington to it’s current location at 110 NE Water St in 1997 and now houses the Peoria Riverfront Visitor’s Center.
It is the only pre-civil war commericial building remaining in Peoria, and according to [this] source, as of 1998, one of only three pre-civil war buildings still in existance Downtown.
Anyone know what the other two are or are they gone?
“Peoria Pete”, part of the Rolling River Playground which was built by the Junior League of Peoria and gifted to the Peoria Park District.
