Champaign City Building project to further clog streets

CHAMPAIGN – Downtown traffic is bad enough these days. But it could get worse in a few months.

Traffic has been disrupted since Nov. 10, when North Neil Street was closed at Main and Church streets in the aftermath of the Nov. 7 fire that destroyed the Metropolitan Building.

City officials fear that a building at 215 N. Neil St., also damaged by the fire, could collapse into the street. Insurance company disputes are slowing efforts toward a demolition that could end the street closure.

But things sometimes do get worse – and that would be the case if the city goes ahead with an estimated $1.7 million masonry project at the city building, scheduled to start March 1, while Neil is also closed.

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