Category: Planning & Development Department News

City of Champaign Announces Small Business Incentive Program Awardees

Forty-eight Champaign Businesses Receive COVID Relief Grants The City of Champaign congratulates the 48 small local businesses who were recently awarded Small Business Incentive Program – COVID Relief grants from the City. In total, $520,000 in grant funds were awarded to support our valued small businesses and help save local jobs. The average grant award […]


City Planning Staff Tours Costco

Planning and Development Department staff was invited to tour the progress on the Costco Wholesale store being built on north Neil Street next to Marketplace Mall.  Giving the tour were the new store managers who all recently relocated to Champaign.  The Costco will be 185,000 square feet in a new building located where the former Bergner’s Department […]


Downtown Picnic Parks

The City of Champaign and the Champaign Park District have partnered to provide three Picnic Parks in Downtown where anyone can grab carryout from local restaurants and have their own picnic.  The idea was to help Downtown restaurants who were allowed to have outdoor dining last month, but obviously aren’t able to take as many […]


City of Champaign Issues Emergency Order 20-18 to Facilitate Outdoor Dining in Support of Local Bars and Restaurants

Today Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen issued Emergency Order 20-18, which implements a three-pronged plan to support local bars and restaurants planning to provide outdoor dining options to customers as Champaign moves into phase three of the state’s Restore Illinois reopening plan later this week. First, the Emergency Order allows for the temporary expansion of the […]


Economic Sustainability Efforts during COVID-19

The City’s Planning and Development Department has been engaged in a number of efforts to promote economic sustainability in our community during and after the issuance of the Governor’s Stay at Home Order as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Much of this work has been done with our countywide economic development partners including the […]


Champaign Developing Outdoor Dining Options in Support of Local Restaurants

On May 20, 2020, Governor Pritzker announced that bars and restaurants will be able to open for outdoor seating during phase three of the state’s reopening plan, which is expected to start in Champaign on May 29. In response, the City of Champaign is actively developing a three-pronged plan to support the many local establishments […]


Keeping Construction Workers and City Inspectors Safe during COVID-19

The March 20, 2020, stay-at-home order issued by Governor Pritzker identified activity that was considered “essential.” Included on this list is “Construction” which is interpreted to mean both private and public construction projects. The continuance of construction during the COVID-19 outbreak means City of Champaign employees must continue to serve that industry by reviewing building […]


City of Champaign Announces Additional Suspensions to Services

Today, the City of Champaign announced additional service changes to promote social distancing and to proactively support the prevention and management of COVID-19. Changes are temporary, and an announcement will be made once the City is able to return to normal business. The Code Compliance Division (Neighborhood Services) is suspending all inspections except for cases […]


Urban Planning Students Tour Bristol Place Residences

Taught by the City’s Assistant Director of Planning and Development Rob Kowalski, students from an Urban Planning class at the University of Illinois visited the new Bristol Place Residences on February 27, 2020. There they heard from developer Jim Roberts and were able to tour several of the homes and learn about the City’s process […]


Downtown Champaign Commercial District Receives Designation on National Register of Historic Places

The City of Champaign is proud to announce that on January 24, 2020, the United States Department of the Interior and National Park Service added the Champaign Downtown Commercial District to the National Register of Historic Places as a Historic District. The new Champaign Downtown Commercial District contains 52 contributing and 11 non-contributing structures and […]