Champaign City Building

Champaign City Building
Champaign City Building at night
Location within Illinois
General information
Location	102 North Neil Street Champaign, Illinois  United States
Coordinates	40°6′59.5362″N 88°14′35.829″W / 40.116537833°N 88.24328583°W / 40.116537833; -88.24328583Coordinates: 40°6′59.5362″N 88°14′35.829″W / 40.116537833°N 88.24328583°W / 40.116537833; -88.24328583
Construction started	1935
Completed	1937
Design and construction
Architect	George Ramey[1]

The Champaign City Building serves as a symbol of the city, with its likeness featured on the city seal. Designated a Champaign Landmark on July 18, 2005,^[2] the ornate decoration, art deco architecture, and copper roof distinguish the building as one of the most recognizable in downtown Champaign. The main inspiration for the building's art deco design was Los Angeles City Hall.^[3]

History

Land for the original City Hall was donated to the city of Champaign in 1888 by David Bailey, who was a charter founder of the First National Bank of Champaign. It is believed that he donated the land due to the lot's odd shape, and his inability to develop the land. Bailey also insisted that the city must develop a building worth no less than $5,000 within a year of his donation. The city, in turn, built a multi-purpose structure that housed the Police and Fire Departments, an auditorium, a library, and a chamber and meeting room for the City Council.^[4]

Within almost forty years, the building was in such poor condition that the City Council voted to demolish the multi-purpose building and in its place the current City Building was constructed from 1935-1937.

Current use

Currently, the City Building serves as Champaign's city hall and includes the City Council Chambers, administrative offices, and the city's law department.

References

External links

• State of Illinois Database for Municipality Landmarks

City of Champaign
People	List of people from Champaign
History and government	Burnham Athenaeum Cattle Bank Champaign City Building Champaign Public Library Construction of Assembly Hall First Presbyterian Church Illinois Traction Building Inman Hotel Lincoln Building Orpheum Theatre Stone Arch Bridge U.S. Post Office Vriner's Confectionery
Education	Centennial High School Champaign Central High School Judah Christian School St. Thomas More High School Parkland College University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Cultural places and events	Boneyard Creek Campustown Champaign Park District Centennial Park Dodds Park Champaign Swarm (MPBA) Ebertfest: Roger Ebert's Film Festival Illinois Marathon JSM Challenger of Champaign–Urbana Krannert Art Museum Market Place Mall Orpheum Children's Science Museum Staerkel Planetarium State Farm Center Virginia Theatre The Rare Book & Manuscript Library (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Public transportation	Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Illinois Terminal University of Illinois Willard Airport
Interstates and highways	Interstate 57 Interstate 72 Interstate 74 U.S. Route 45 U.S. Route 150 Illinois Route 10
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