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Main Street, Peoria

  /    /  Main Street, Peoria
The Janssen Building (Center), with Niagara Parking Deck (R).
Main Street Block with Central Building (L), Janssen Building (Center), Twin Towers beyond, Union Planters Bank (R).
Main Street Block with Central Building (L), Janssen Building (Center), Union Planters Bank (R).
The Janssen Building (L) and the Niagara Parking Deck (R), both part of The Main Street Block.
Five Major GB&A Projects on Peoria Riverfront. A view across the Illinois River to the downtown Peoria riverfront featuring five GB&A projects (L to R) Twin Towers Place, Central Building Parking Garage, Central Building Historic Landmark Renovation (Center), Union Planters Bank and the Main Street Block.
Niagara Parking Deck (L), the Central Building (R).
Niagara Parking Deck and Central Building, Main Street Block

Every town has a Main Street. A block of Main Street in Peoria became a showcase for creative vision, sound leadership, outstanding design, and innovative funding, and paved the way for a revitalized downtown.

Peoria is the second largest city in Illinois. This block of Main Street is located between Caterpillar’s World Headquarters and the new Peoria Civic Center (designed by world-renowned architect Phillip Johnson of New York), and across from Courthouse Plaza.

The south corner of the Main Street block was home to the abandoned ten-story Central Building. A few storefronts to the north had been restored and occupied, but most had fallen into disrepair. The building at the north end was a tear down from the start. All properties suffered from a lack of available public parking.

The 100% vacant Central Building was built in 1914, to health and safety standards far below those required today. New stair towers were added and shared with the new parking deck next door. The interior was gutted and rebuilt to current code. Custom made replica windows were designed and manufactured for the entire façade. A new lobby was designed and built.

Parking was critical to the development plan. A 300-car parking garage, 360 feet in length on a City owned alley required that each property owner convey the rear 60 feet of their property to the City in exchange for attaining five stories of on-site parking for their businesses and direct access to parking at each floor.

Revenues from the multi-story deck along with added tax revenues from the Main Street office building improvements, would amortize the bonds.

The Central Building was granted a place on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and successfully restored with landmark tax credits. The new six-story Janssen Building added a dynamic look to the north end of the block. The inner building lots were shortened at the rear and were remodeled by the individual owners.

The 300-car parking deck is completely screened from view by the restored buildings, and none of the street frontages were destroyed. Peoria’s Main Street development is hugely successful and serves as a model for other communities and downtown Main Street redevelopments.

GB&A conceived the development and business plan, designed the master plan, provided full architectural design and construction administration services, and represented the City in negotiations with property owners and tenants.

 

  • The 66,500 SF Janssen Building is a six-story office building located in the Main Street Block, a historical area of downtown Peoria, IL.  The office building houses the Janssen Law Center and Jim’s Steakhouse.  Each floor has a direct connection

  • Every town has a Main Street. A block of Main Street in Peoria, IL, the second largest city in Illinois became a showcase for creative vision, sound civic leadership, outstanding design, innovative funding, and a revitalized downtown. This block of Main Street

  • The Main Street Block is located between Caterpillar's World Headquarters and the new Peoria Civic Center (designed by world-renowned architect Phillip Johnson of New York), and across from the Peoria County Courthouse. The south corner of the Main Street Block was

Location

Peoria, IL

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