Rep. Dave Severin | Facebook
Rep. Dave Severin | Facebook
A more than $1 million grant was awarded to the city of Marion to fund the renovation of the Tower Square building.
In a statement, Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton) said that he is “proud to have partnered with the city of Marion to secure more than $1 million for renovating and rehabilitating the blighted property at Marion's Tower Square.”
The grant was part of the $11 million capital funds from the Rebuild Illinois initiative and was supported by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Tower Square is a blighted and unused building in the heart of the city. It will be renovated for future business opportunities.
“I supported the Illinois Rebuild Capital program where these dollars are coming from, and worked hard to secure them for the betterment and beautification of downtown Marion,” Severin added.
As early as 2020, Marion City Mayor Mike Absher already had plans to restructure Tower Square Plaza, beginning with studying the parking situation and traffic problems, and sourcing funds for the study. A grant has been successfully applied and received to fund the study.
The city hopes to build a roundabout and use smart parking technology to pinpoint free parking spots.
Other ideas include putting up murals, street lighting, bike paths, and areas for holding various events.
The Rebuild Illinois program will support 11 projects across the state, hoping to create long-term investment while creating hundreds of construction jobs.
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