Downtown Streator storefront getting new life

Rehabilitation work at 409 E. Main St. in Streator is about a month or so away from completion, according to Jeff Zavada, who took over the project.

The property, located next to Rashid's Men's Wear, will get a new life.

It had been a long-standing code enforcement issue and deteriorated to the point where it needed intervention. Prior to recent construction, it was being held up by scaffolding to prevent further decay.

"It's going well and we've got the bricks in front done," Zavada said of the construction. "We need the windows and doors to finish the front facade. We have to go in and fix all the rot now and get the framing fixed. It should be close to be being done."

City Engineer Jeremy Palm said the building's renovations are being done as part of a Tax Incremented Finance redevelopment agreement with Zavada, who will complete and pay for the work. Once he has certified the cost he paid, the city will reimburse a portion.

"In this case, the city will reimburse up to $75,000," Palm said. "The building had a derelict owner who had for years let the building go. It was to a condition where the city was looking into taking on the project themselves before Zavada stepped up. It made more sense financially to let someone else do the renovations than have the city get fully involved."

Tearing down the building would have cost more than renovating, according to the documents Zavada provided to Streator's Plan Commission on June 11. They anticipate the renovations costing $38,900 while demolition would have cost more, especially including the damage that could have been done to attached buildings.

Zavada said he's already received calls from people interested in buying the building with an upgraded facade. Additionally, he received a $15,000 facade grant from the city specifically to help create a more welcoming facade to the aging building, which formerly had a sterile white facade before it started deteriorating.

The project was passed during the June 19 City Council meeting.