Category: Planning & Development Department News

North First Street | Designated Cultural District

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that the City of Champaign’s North First Street has been selected as one of the ten inaugural State Designated Cultural Districts.  Launched in 2023, the State-Designated Cultural Districts program aims to uplift the unique contributions of historic cultural districts with the overarching goal of increasing […]


City of Champaign Location Selected as Inaugural State-Designated Cultural District

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that the City of Champaign’s North First Street has been selected as one of the ten inaugural State Designated Cultural Districts. The North First Street Cultural District, which is home to sections of the African American Cultural Trail and newly redesigned Skelton Park, contains landmarks […]


City of Champaign Seeks Public Input on Priority Bicycle Projects

Creating safe streets for everybody remains a priority for the City of Champaign which has been adding new bicycle lanes to street construction projects across the community. To facilitate this work the City created a new prioritization process and created a list of projects to help guide future construction. Residents can download the list of […]


City Celebrates Staff for Service and Values

The annual Employee Awards and Service Recognition Ceremony was held on November 15, 2023. This event celebrates the accomplishments and service of City of Champaign staff honored with either an employee award or for achieving a career milestone. This year’s celebration honored 83 employees who received an individual or team award. These staff members were […]


City Celebrates 2023 CU Pride Fest and Parade!

On September 30, 2023, the City of Champaign joined the CU Pride Fest and Parade to celebrate everything that makes us fabulous! Council members, Alicia Beck, Matthew Gladney, Kathy Shannon, Michael Foellmer and City Staff from the Equity & Engagement Department, Public Works, Neighborhood Services Department, and Planning Department all came out to walk in […]


Empowering Small Businesses in Champaign: A Conversation with T.J. Blakeman

Are you looking to start or grow your business? The City of Champaign is here to help! In the latest episode of Champaign Spotlight, T.J. Blakeman (Senior Planner for Economic Development) shares information with budding entrepreneurs about City services and programs available to help make their businesses successful. Learn how your business can benefit from […]


Willard Airport Selected as Primary Airport of the Year by IDOT

The University of Illinois Willard Airport was selected as Primary Airport of the Year by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) for 2023. Willard Airport received the award from IDOT on September 25, 2023, during the Illinois Public Airport Association Fall Conference. A primary airport is defined as a commercial service airport with more than […]


Downtown Champaign Featured in IML Publication

The August 2023 issue of the Illinois Municipal League (IML) Review features a five-page article about the revitalization of Downtown Champaign. Written by Senior Planner for Economic Development T.J. Blakeman (Planning and Development), the article provides a great history of downtown, the challenges downtown faced during the mid-20th century, and the City’s investment in infrastructure […]


‘Thank You’ Celebration!

Through the University of Illinois and Champaign Community Unit 4 School District, the City welcomed 19 interns and Youth Employment Services (YES) students to join our staff this summer. These students were able to see the ins-and-outs of how the City works while getting hands on experience in eight different departments. On July 20, the City hosted […]