Urbana City Council Votes 4-2 to Reject Landmark Status for Former Civic Center, Clearing Path for $32 Million Transit Station

The Urbana Civic Center will not receive historic landmark protection. The Urbana City Council voted 4-2 Monday night to deny a landmark designation for the building that has sat closed at 108 E. Water St since 2018.

The decision clears the way for the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District to pursue a $32 million downtown bus-transfer station on the site. But it also means the 56-year-old building faces likely demolition unless city and transit officials reach a compromise during upcoming negotiations.

A community split on preservation and progress

Local preservation advocate Phyllis Winters-Williams submitted the landmark application after learning the Mass Transit District wanted to buy the property from the city. The Historic Preservation Commission recommended approval, citing the building's architectural significance and its role in the civic and social history of Urbana.

"More importantly, the Urbana Civic Center was more than a building. It was a civic space open to all members of the community. It provided affordable and inclusive gathering space for residents, organizations, celebrations, and public events," wrote Historic Preservation Commission Chair Angela Urban in a letter to the city council.

But transit officials argued that landmark status would give the preservation commission ultimate authority over any changes to the structure. They said that would prevent the MTD from building a facility designed for modern transit operations.

"If the designation had been approved, then the HPC would have had ultimate authority for decisions on altering the building. That would tie our hands from what we are trying to do. Create the best facility for our customers, employees, and service," said Karl Gnadt, MTD Managing Director.

Both sides say the vote is not the end

Alderman Maryalice Wu cast a no vote but said she believes part of the civic center could still be saved through an intergovernmental agreement between the city and the MTD.

"I am convinced that the community is torn. I am convinced that the community is behind a bus transport. It doesn't matter what side you are on," Wu said. "I'm not convinced that we can't save any part of this building. I am convinced that the building itself probably can't stand without significant investment."

Gnadt said the MTD would move forward with two next steps. The district plans to begin talks with the city on an intergovernmental agreement to acquire the property. It also plans to apply for a Federal Transit Administration grant. The federal grant would require a local match of $6.4 million, according to MTD External Affairs Director Ashlee McLaughlin.

"The next step is probably to begin a conversation with the city on an intergovernmental agreement for acquiring that property," Gnadt said. "I think it will be a complex agreement, and I look forward to getting to it."

Preservationists presented adaptive reuse plans

Two presentations offered visions for keeping the building. Kathryn Holliday, a UI professor of historic preservation and a member of the Historic Preservation Commission, argued that rehabilitation does not mean freezing the building in time.

"The rehabilitation approach means that you can change the building and make additions and that the whole point is to pursue an adaptive reuse strategy that would take the existing structure, change it to suit a new purpose," Holliday said.

Joseph Altshuler, a University of Illinois architecture professor, presented conceptual diagrams showing how the civic center could be incorporated into a new bus station with additional construction.

Gnadt said the MTD is open to preserving some elements of the building. He mentioned the possibility of saving the wooden planks from the pyramid-shaped cupolas on the roof.

Budget vote and new councilmember

The council also voted Monday on the city's Fiscal Year 2026-2027 annual budget. Two amendments failed before the budget passed unanimously.

Alderman Christopher Evans proposed eliminating $455,000 for the Urbana Police Department's Community Engagement Team. He argued that community policing should be woven into the entire department rather than handled by a specialized unit. The amendment failed 4-2.

Alderman Grace Wilken proposed adding $100,000 for additional snow removal to accommodate people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The amendment failed 5-2.

The council also unanimously approved the appointment of Stephanie Renae Cockrell to fill the vacant Ward 5 seat. Chaundra Bishop, who previously held the seat, resigned in April for health reasons and died on June 1.

"I understand that accepting this seat is not just simply accepting a title. I understand it is accepting a responsibility to listen, to learn, to show up, to help make difficult decisions and to serve the people of Urbana," Cockrell said during her swearing-in.

What happens next

Under Urbana's zoning ordinance, a new landmark application for the same property cannot be filed within 12 months of the council's denial. The city's capital improvement plan includes funding to demolish the civic center. But Alderman James Quisenberry suggested the city could revisit landmark status if the MTD's federal grant application is unsuccessful.

Winters-Williams said the vote did not end the debate.

"I think this gets to the heart of the misunderstanding. I don't believe that there are two sides. Either save it or don't save it. I think what there is is a mutual desire for better transit," she said. "The only difference then between my position and the MTD is that the MTD just wants a clean slate."

Gnadt pushed back on that framing.

"Their priority is the building. Our priority is the people that we are serving," he said.