State Grant for Phase 1 Construction

On February 20, 2024, City Council accepted a $500,000 grant from the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. This grant used a competitive application process to channel federal COVID relief dollars to localities around Illinois. Champaign's grant application cited the pandemic's negative and outsized effect on restaurant and hospitality businesses downtown, many of which are locally owned. These grant dollars will be used to help fund Phase 1 construction of the Downtown Plaza on the northeast corner of Main Street and Neil Street.

See the Council Bill and staff report HERE and links to media coverage below.

• Meeting Minutes & More - Neil Street Plaza project ready to roll. News-Gazette 2/23/2024.
• Champaign Council to vote on using $500K grant for downtown reconstruction. WCIA 2/20/24.