Phase 1 Design Completed

The City of Champaign, in partnership with consultants MKSK and Clark Dietz, has completed construction engineering for Phase 1 of the Downtown Plaza (also known as Immediate Phase in the Neil Street Plaza Placemaking Plan). This phase of the project encompasses the existing One Main Plaza with a slight expansion northward. It will install a performance stage equipped with power and wiring for sound and lighting equipment. These improvements will better accommodate live events like Friday Night Live and the Parade of Lights, and the 'plug-n-play' capability of the stage facilitates its use and reduces the number of logistical tasks associated with events in downtown.

These improvements aim to attract more visitors, diversify the activities that can be held in the space, and improve the everyday experiences of pedestrians downtown. Phase 1 of the plaza includes planters that delineate outdoor cafe seating from pedestrian through-zones; these planters include two-tiers of seating to accommodate users at special events or throughout the day. Bench swings and landscaping along the west side of the plaza will provide a sense of enclosure, screening the area from traffic while improving visibility to business frontages. The plaza's design prioritizes accessibility, ensuring wheelchair users and those with mobility limitations can comfortably use the space. Belonging-centered design features include designated spaces along the planters' seat walls and adjacent to bench swings for wheelchair users, seating with arms to assist in standing, and an ADA accessible ramp to the stage.