MATTOON — Restoration work has begun on three vacant buildings at the northeast corner of Broadway Avenue and 15th Street.
Evan Drummond, manager of Jasper Holdings, LLC in Mattoon, said they plan to completely restore all three buildings to like-new condition. This will include new roofs, new store front windows and doors, and new facades. The old facades have already been removed.
“We haven’t finalized floor plans yet," Drummond said. "However, we expect to create four to five commercial units with the entire redevelopment, three of them facing Broadway, and one to two facing 15th Street."
The interiors of each building will also be remodeled and laid out to accommodate many different types of businesses, Drummond said.
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Jasper Holdings LLC of Mattoon has begun restoring three storefronts at the northeast corner of Broadway Avenue and 15th Street in Mattoon.
“We’ve been in communication with multiple businesses owners about potential uses for the spaces," Drummond said. "As always, our goal is to add businesses that will further enhance the already thriving downtown Mattoon business district.”
The three buildings are located to the west of the former Time Theater building. A variety of businesses have come and gone over the years in the buildings at the northeast corner of Broadway and 15th, including the Happy China and Tres Hermanos restaurants.
Mattoon Public Library's Local History Center reports that, starting with Walt's Camera Shop in 1949, the corner storefront was home to camera shops and photo studios for decades until Mattoon Photo Inc. closed in 2003.
This section of Broadway is also set to get a new look this year via a city streetscaping project from 14th to 16th streets, which began Monday. The city plans to install new sidewalks, brick boulevards and decorative streetlights like it already has on the sections of Broadway to the west downtown.
12 Mattoon businesses through the years
Anaconda
1959: In an effort to better serve the growing needs of the Midwest, Southwest and Far West market for flexible metal hose and tubing the American Brass Co. built its American Metal Hose Division plant in Mattoon.
Blaw-Knox
1963: A new line of paving equipment is exhibited by the Mattoon Blaw Knox plant at the Construction Equipment Exposition and Road Show, Chicago.
Burtschi
1988: Burtschi is the first store in Illinois south of Springfield to offer Hummel figurines.Â
Central Illinois Public Service (CIPS)
1959: The Eastern Division of the CIPS is completing a move into the new building in Mattoon. The structure has 36 offices and 23,000 square feet of office space.Â
Consolidated Telemarketing Association (CTA)
1991: The CTA office is carpeted, air conditioned, well-lit and features work stations designed around employee needs. Telemarketers generated $435 billion in sales last year. For each customer who says yes, 99 say no.Â
Douglas Nursing Center
1977: Acquisition of the Douglas Nursing Center will complete another phase in Wesley Tower's total care package.Â
Downtown Aerial
1985: aerial view of downtown Mattoon.Â
E. Rudy Place
1992: A group of children wait in line to challenge the winner to a game of tether ball at the E. Rudy Street housing project.Â
East Rudy Place
1992: A bicyclist pedals along East Rudy Street where a row of new duplexes were built, next to a subsidized housing project.Â
Ellen Kay's
1989: Pat and Rodney Williamson are ready to dine. Owner Leonard Losch looks on at Ellen Kay's.Â
General Electric Co.
1950: Proof that flash photography has become a national hobby is the Mattoon plant of the General Electric Co. which manufactures flash bulbs almost exclusively. A few incandescent or regular light bulbs in larger wattages are made here also.Â
Mattoon Area Educational Extension Center
1965: The school is housed in the former Humble Oil Co. building on Route 45 on the south side of Mattoon.Â
