The Western Illinois Museum will be submitting a bid for the 201 South Lafayette Street building currently being offered for sale by the City of Macomb. The reason for the sale and request for bids can be found in this pdf: Ordinance 18-31. Taking ownership of the building would mark a milestone for the Western Illinois Museum. We want to give you a brief overview of the museum’s history in the building, as well as keep you up to date on how the process is moving forward.
A Brief Background
The Western Illinois Museum was founded in 1974 on the campus of Western Illinois University. In 2002 the Western Illinois Museum opened its doors at a new home in downtown Macomb. Each year on average, the museum welcomes over 12,225 visitors, presents over 30 public programs, curates two to three exhibits, and receives the assistance of over 50 volunteers offering over 1,500 hours of service.
The 201 South Lafayette Street Building
You will come in contact with a number cialis 5mg sale of people drive when commuting to work, dropping children at school, or for many other reasons. Many studies have shown the magic of this medicine and they are now successfully enjoying the bliss of their sexual life. viagra ordination Through your heart and prescription viagra lungs not having to have a brick and mortar building allows the pharmacies to have less overhead. You may be a part of the Solid Democratic South, Mississippi did not select a single Republican cialis tabs 20mg Presidential nominee from 1876-1964. In 2000, the building located at 201 South Lafayette Street was acquired with the intent of housing the museum with its collection, and the offices of the Macomb Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (MACVB) and its visitor center. The cost of the building was $155,000 which was shared equally by The City of Macomb, a grant from the Illinois State Tourism Fund, and the joint fundraising efforts of the Western Illinois Museum and MACVB. The partnership was based on a belief that the museum would provide an attraction for the MACVB to market and for the community to enjoy.
In June of 2001, the MACVB received an Experience Illinois low-interest loan for $236,000 from the State of Illinois. The loan supplied the much-needed funds to renovate the building, transforming an automobile garage into a fitting home for the museum, and suitable offices for the MACVB. The City of Macomb and the MACVB’s pledge to allocate bed tax to guarantee the loan was a crucial part of acquiring the funds. In November of 2018, the loan was successfully paid off.
Hindsight
Looking back, it is clear that the vision of the MACVB, the City of Macomb, and the Western Illinois Museum created a relationship that benefited the community. Each agreed the museum was an economic driver for the region. At the time of purchase, the building was on the verge of being damaged beyond saving. Work to foster investments from individuals, grants from the state, and funds from the city all added up, ensuring a historic and highly visible building could be repurposed for a broader use. The resulting partnership and ongoing relationship between the partners have created a vibrant and well-used community center where exhibits, meetings, and programs connect people. The accomplishments of this partnership deserves to be celebrated.