Motorists who have been driving out around Collins Tower in downtown Danville may soon see some lane restrictions there eased.
Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. says City Engineer Sam Cole and Public Property Director Carl Carpenter have been working with the Illinois Department of Transportation to try to get some of the traffic back to normal…
{‘’Probably within the next month or so, we will be putting in concrete barriers in the northern-most lane that runs west on Main Street around Bresee Tower. And then (we’ll be) constructing fencing inside of it, so that anything would fall it would kind of have a bucket effect,’’ said Mayor Williams.
‘’What that would allow us to do then, Bill, is to re-open the northbound turning lane – or the left turning lane if you’re heading east, coming up Vermilion Street,’’ said Williams. ‘’It would also allow us to re-open one west-bound lane on Main Street as well.’’}
The Mayor adds the city is also checking into possible demolition costs for Collins Tower….
{‘’We sent out letters of inquiry, regarding demolition bids. You know people say ‘two-million, five-million’, we need to know what we’re going to have to do if at some point the City has to intercede – which, unfortunately I believe we will,’’ said the Mayor. ‘’I still hold-out hope that the Collins might find some investors and be able to redevelop the building. But if they aren’t able to, it’s my job to ensure the safety of our citizens,’’ said Mayor Williams during an interview with VermilionCountyFirst.com News.}
The 12-story building, formerly known as Bresee Tower, was built 101 years ago. In recent years it has had several owners who had hopes to save the historical structure. But thus far none of their plans have come to fruition.
