town Square Assessment

 I found a copy of an assessment of the historical architecture of the Carbondale town square, done back in 1997 when the city was looking at getting the Jackson-Washington area and parts of West Man and south Illinois adjacent to the square placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nothing ever came of the project, as far as I know, and at least 4 of the properties, including the Tuscan Lodge and Dillinger's Feed Store, have been torn down in the past 20 years.

Certainly an intersecting look back at the history of the square. For example, the building at 215 South Illinois, now housing a gym, was built in 1930 for the Yellow Cab Taxi Service as was used for that purpose until Carbondale's Yell Cab Service shut down about a decade or so ago.

Historic Preservation Awards Nominations

T he Historic Preservation Commission is accepting nominations for the10th annual Historic Preservation Awards:

The City of Carbondale Preservation Commission is honored to be sponsoring the 10^th Annual Historic Preservation Awards. Any property located within the Carbondale city limits is eligible for a Historic Preservation Award.  Carbondale residents are invited to submit nominations for any property that they feel is deserving of an award.

For further information, please  contact:

Jessica Sergeev, Planner

City of Carbondale

457-3257

 jsergeev@ci.carbondale.il.us

Stotlar House Down

Demolition of the Stotlar House started about 11 a.m. yesterday with a couple of workmen prying up floorboards from the front porch. Demolition equipment was tearing into the house about 1:30 with about half a dozen onlookers and the house was a pile of rubble by 4 p.m.

Stotlar House

Checked with the planning department today about what happens with the Stotlar House after the March 1 moratorium ends. During the next month, the city is helping Home Rentals gather information about the feasibility of restoring the building or finding a buyer. After the moratorium expires, Home Rentals may sell, rehab or demolish the building.

Due to the zoning, however, they may only replace it with a commercial building, not another home or apartment building, unless the company applies for a special use permit. From the way I understand it, it appears that sitting within the Walnut Street Historic District has very little bearing on the design of the structure that goes in there.