Downtown Plaza Construction

The Downtown Plaza project formally began in 2017. After two years of meticulous planning and community input, City Council adopted the Neil Street Plaza Placemaking Plan which would transform a surface parking lot at the southeast corner of Neil Street and Washington Street into an inclusive, beautiful, and vibrant plaza for all ages and lifestyles.

This plaza will be built in two phases and feature a stage, landscaping planters with seating, shaded bench swings, movable chairs and tables, a splash pad, a public lawn, small business kiosks, public art, a speed table at Neil Street and Hill Street, and improved access to the public parking lot off Fremont Street. This plaza was designed to be accessible and welcoming to all residents and visitors in Champaign.

Community input on this plaza's design consolidated around five themes:

Vibrant community destination for all seasons
Inclusive, welcoming, and safe
An economic catalyst
Beautiful and sustainable
Appealing to all ages and lifestyles

Given the extent of this project, construction will be completed in two phases.

Phase One
The first phase of this project encompasses the area at the existing One Main Plaza and modestly expands it to the north. This is the southern part of the plaza. Construction on Phase One began on July 12, 2024 and concluded in May 2025.

Phase Two
Construction of Phase Two of the plaza encompasses the majority of the existing parking lot north of the existing One Main Plaza. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026 with an estimated two-year timeframe.

Project Timeline

Timeline item 1 - complete

Public Engagement and Planning

Following two years of engagement and a planning process led by a steering committee, City Council adopted the Neil Street Plaza Placemaking Plan in 2019.
Timeline item 2 - complete

Phase 1 Engineering

Final design and construction engineering for Phase 1 is complete.
Timeline item 3 - active

Phase 1 Construction and Phase 2 Engineering

Phase 1 construction began in July 2024 and finished in May 2025. This area encompasses the southern part of the plaza immediately northeast of Main and Neil. It modestly expanded and redesigned former One Main Plaza to fit within the overall Neil Street Plaza Placemaking Plan. The new space includes a performing arts stage, new planters with seating, and bench swings. Phase 2 engineering is underway and construction is scheduled to begin in 2026.
Timeline item 4 - incomplete

Phase 2 Construction

This phase encompasses the lot south of the Orpheum, the existing parking lot at Neil and Washington, and reconstruction of Neil and Washington. Phase Two will install new features such as a splash pad, business kiosks, a public restroom and grass lawn, play areas for all ages and abilities, several seating areas, bicycle parking, public art, a raised intersection at Neil and Hill (promoting safer access to nearby businesses and the Hill Street deck), an improved connection to the Fremont Street parking lot, and more bench swings.