By a unanimous vote Tuesday (Aug 13th) evening, the Danville City Council Public Works Committee approved the intergovernmental agreement between the city and Vermilion County to arrange for the tear down of old Bresee Tower, and the contiguous Vermilion County Court Annex building. Now we wait for the full Council and County approvals to be official. As Community Development Director Logan Cronk said afterwards Tuesday evening, the agreement has the city paying for Bresee’s actual demolition, and the county for the Annex’s actual demolition. But the city acts as overall supervisor of the bidding process, so it can be done as one project to save money.
AUDIO: There’s a lot of complexities to having two buildings tied together that are owned by separate entities. That is the agreement and partnership that you see in front of the Public Works Committee tonight.
Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr stated that the actual demolition, pending final agreement approval, will perhaps happen late spring or early summer of 2025. Because once the winning bidder is selected, the first thing they’ll have to do is subcontract with an asbestos removal company. And there’s a lot of it. Director of Public Works David Ruwe says interested bidders will need to come and see first hand what they are getting into.
Director of Public Works David Ruwe, Corporation Counsel Leon Parker, and Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr all speak on the proposed intergovernmental agreement concerning Bresee Tower and the Court Annex.
AUDIO: There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting that will be held. And so everyone that wants to bid on this project will have to have a representative there to see it. And we’ll do a walk through of the whole building, and our consultant will show them all the different items that might be of interest to them.
Mayor Williams pointed out that he is working with Paula Hurst from the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) on finding a new home for the plaque that marked an office Abraham Lincoln once held in the building at this location prior to Bresee Tower.
AUDIO: You know people are upset and sad rightfully so, I’m one of them, that Bresee has to go. But think of what we gave up for it. We gave up Lincoln’s law office, one of our greatest presidents. Thankfully they had enough foresight to save his desk, and they’ve got that on display at the Vermilion County Museum.
Williams says the DAR will be working on a final destination for the plaque; perhaps at the county museum, or at the Bresee Tower location sometime in the future.
Betty Seidel speaks to the Public Works Committee about naming a portion of Walnut Street for Vicki Haugen.
The mayor also pointed out that the city set aside $4 million from its surplus fund for this project a few years back, which has been earning interest; so they are hoping for some extra money being available after the Bresee destruction is paid for, because there are other structures that need to come down.
AUDIO: The old Model-Star that’s crumbling on Main between Washington and Hazel. Then also a couple of small buildings the city owns north of D.C. Fitness; and then also the old Studio 25 on Walnut Street.
The Public Works Committee also unanimously approved the proposal to designate Walnut Street, from Main to Harrison, as Vicki Haugen Way in honor of her contributions to area economic development.
The full Danville City Council will next be meeting Tuesday, August 20th.
