The Future
41
thePeorian.com
“
People are getting used to the
roundabout,” Mingus said of a
traffic feature roughly akin to the
square in Washington’s down-
town. “There was some confusion
for a while.”
Much of the traffic on the site
currently is that of construction
workers, a source of great pride
for the mayor.
“
We are getting high, high
thanks from organized labor,”
Mingus said. “It’s been a real
boost for our area. Over 300
people take a check home each
week. I think that’s the thing I’m
most proud of.
“
It’ll be a good Christmas for
a lot of people who otherwise
might not have had it.”
Also being built this fall is
a new branch of the Fondulac
District Library, extending from
Richland to Washington streets
on a triangular piece of land
that calls for a future City Hall
(
attached to the library) and a
future Caterpillar museum (at the
roundabout).
“
The library is making good
progress,” Mingus said of the
32,000-
square-foot building.
The fourth “corner” of the
roundabout will be filled by a
137-
room Holiday Inn conference
center, also well under way and
slated to open in the early spring
of 2013. The hotel is closest to
Cedar Street bridge.
Going counterclockwise, the
direction of traffic, will be the
Cat museum, the Target property
(
with a restaurant tenant being
sought for the front of the park-
ing lot, close to the roundabout),
and Hometown bank.
When Phase 1 is complete,
probably mid-summer next year,
15
to 20 acres will remain uncom-
mitted, divided among three
parcels.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 42
This is the most up-to-date site plan for the new East
Peoria downtown, which is now under development.
The Costco store will be the first to open, later this
month, while the Target Superstore and other buildings
will be completed next spring. The other photographs
showing working being done on buildings as workers
get the structures framed before cold weather sets in.
