Christie Clinic has announced they are going to move from their downtown location to a new building in NW Champaign. And, they will be selling their current downtown location to the Atkins Group.
That is some prime real estate downtown - what do you think will be done with it? What would you like to see there?
Major office park for the creative class - programmers, engineers, etc?
Condos?
Food/entertainment?
I would like to see something that has the traditional daytime hours, so all the parking could be made available after hours and weekends for entertainment visitors to downtown.
I would like to see a taller building that will add to the stature of downtown and create the first hint of a skyline.
What about the new cancer center?
It's a shame that they just got done spending millions of dollars on that new cancer center...
both of the current buildings seem to be in too good of condition to raze; I doubt the land itself is worth enough to make that worthwhile (but I could be wrong)
I don't foresee any chances for a downtown skyline any time soon - sorry Justin.
I thought the cancer center was staying put.
If I understand the News-Gazette article correctly, Gordy, they're not going to use the newly-built cancer center. Part of it is going to be moved to the new location, and the rest is just going to have to be left there.
Christie gives reasons such as space and parking issues for its decision to move, but the scuttlebutt I've heard for the last few months is that it has to do with the tax-exempt status thing. But I haven't bothered to look into it, so who knows if that's even remotely true? I thought it only applied to Provena and Carle, but maybe Christie was affected, too, or else they got the jitters.
Or maybe it's just like they said: they ran out of space in their building and their parking lot.
Matthew,
Thanks for the info. I haven't seen/heard any of the news stories today, so I was just going off the rumors I'd been hearing prior to the announcement.
How about an indoor market, with some permanent & temporary small shops/businesses, professional office level or levels & resturants?
Matthew, how would the move help the tax-exempt status situation?
Is the new location still in the city? If so, the tax situation (should they be required to start paying property taxes) would only improve if the downtown building had an exeptionally high valuation due to location.
I probably shouldn't have mentioned it, RSW, it was only something I heard and didn't bother to look into (it just doesn't interest me enough, to be honest).
But, yes, their new location would have to be technically outside city limits to be exempt.
I had heard rumors to this back when they moved most of the primary physicians out to Windsor Road location. They wanted a clinic for specialty, but didn't feel that the downtown area was a good location. I think their thinking was that they wanted to be located in areas with newer subdivisions, which is why the Windsor Road Clinic was built where it was. As for downtown, I would like to see something that would continue to add to the changes that have taken place downtown over the last couple of years.
We need another bank at that location, we don't have enough banks downtown.
A SCHOOL!!!
a (gulp) tram station
Perhaps a VA satellite facility?
Nearest facilities for the VA otherwise are Danville, Decatur, Terra Haute (IN), and Effingham (according to va.gov)
VA facility? You're kidding, right? SO un-creative class.
Personally, I'm hoping for an all-nude strip club.
GULP INDEED.
There seems to be a fly in the ointment here. Rumors has it The CONSENT DECREE will not allow christie to move.
How can Clint Atkins be so stupid as to invest in downtown? I heard that it was all going to fold up and businesses would be closing because you'll soon not be able to smoke in Nargile, Brass Rail or Blind Pig?
Somebody better tell him that downtown's days are numbered. I know because I heard someone say so on "Penny for Your Thoughts".
Maybe the clinic can move, stay a few years, then decide it needs to expand and move again.
More of Big Medicine at work. More reason to change this nation's failing health care system.
Wal-greens