Construction Update - 3/11/25

Spring is in the air, and so is excitement for the new Downtown Plaza! While Champaign has been soaking up the sunshine, our construction crews have been hard at work getting the space ready for you. Mark your calendars—Phase 1 opens in early May! While the stage needs a little extra time (coming in July), you’ll still get to enjoy bench swings, planters, and open space starting this Spring. Plus, we’re planning great events like Friday Night Live (hosted by 40North), the Farmer’s Market (hosted by The Land Connection), and a lunchtime music series to bring the plaza to life!

Trees arrive this spring, followed by more landscaping in the fall to give them the best chance to thrive. Below is a sneak peek of some of the new seating options coming your way! Check out the tiered benches built into planters, topped with smooth wood for a comfortable spot to relax. These benches are perfect for taking in the plaza's open space, enjoying live music, or catching up with a friend.

Three individuals sit on tiered bench seating that will be incorporated into landscaping planters throughout the plaza. These bench seats are concrete and feature a lower tier for seating and a higher tier for seating. The second (highest) tier has wood caps for comfortable seating.

An individual sits on the second tier of seating in the Downtown Plaza. The business sign for "Anthem" is in the background.

Also shown below is an overhead view of construction progress, a look at the stage foundation taking shape, and close-ups of the new seating.

A bird's eye view photo of the plaza construction work progress as of early March 2025, facing northeast. Concrete for planters has been poured, about one third of concrete for the walking surface has been poured, and the foundation for the stage is in progress. Construction materials, workers, and vehicles are present.

A photo of the plaza construction progress as of early March 2025, facing northeast.

A close up photo of three construction workers installing rebar and wood to set the foundation for the stage in the downtown plaza.

A photo of construction workers preparing the stage foundation.

A close-up photo of the tiered seating (featuring a real bird).

An even closer look at the wood-capped seating.

Stay tuned for more updates as we count down to opening day!