500 West Church Street

The Champaign County Farm Round Barn was one of only a few brick round barns left in the state.

The Joseph W. Royer Arts and Architecture District is the first district of the city of Urbana dedicated to the arts and celebration of the city’s historic and architectural heritage.  The district coincides with the oldest part of Urbana–its historic downtown and the immediately adjacent residential neighborhoods–and it contains the greatest concentration of historically and architecturally significant buildings in town.  The district was named after Urbana architect Joseph W. Royer in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the city’s architectural heritage [City of Urbana].

The City of Urbana published a brochure about the district that includes a walking tour with property descriptions and a map.  Properties included in the district include the Freeman House, Canaan Baptist Church, Illinois Theater, Flatiron Building, Fox Building, Knights of Pythias Building, Cohen Building, Urbana Post Office, Knowlton & Bennett Building, Tiernan’s Block, Eubeling Building, Champaign County Courthouse, Sheriff’s Residence and Jail, Lloyd House, Urbana Lincoln Hotel, Urbana Free Library, Unitarian Universalist Church, First Presbyterian Church of Urbana, and the McWilliams House.  Some properties are no longer present.

Copies of the brochure are available at the PACA Warehouse.

PACA Executive Director Karen Lang Kummer was selected for a prestigious Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Leadership. Karen was recognized at an award ceremony at the Chicago Club on October 17th, 2008. Landmarks Illinois was overwhelmed with submissions from around the state and recognized only nine awardees.

Here is the excerpt from Landmarks Illinois

“The Preservation and Conservation Association of Champaign County (PACA) was incorporated in 1981, spearheaded by the respected urban planner, Lachlan Blair. Ms. Kummer, who had recently completed a degree in architectural history with a certificate in historic preservation from the University of Virginia, was selected to serve as the association’s first (and only) executive director. Under her leadership over the past two decades, PACA has orchestrated funding for community and University of Illinois architectural surveys. An annual awards and Heritage Grant programs have been established, along with numerous educational programs from architectural tours to hands-on restoration workshops. A 5,000-square-foot warehouse of salvaged architectural elements is staffed by PACA volunteers who have assisted countless property owners with their restoration projects.“

“As Ms. Kummer plans for her upcoming retirement, this award recognizes her tireless support of the cause and her numerous achievements in educating the public and elected officials about the importance of historic preservation.“

PACA volunteers are in the third year of a long-term project of ensuring reuse of historic street and sidewalk pavers.  Volunteer effort fuels sorting of 9-pound street pavers and 5-pound sidewalk pavers from the piles of dirt they were deposited with after excavation.  The original use for the pavers was as Urbana streets and sidewalks dating from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.  Clean pavers are stacked on pallets ready to be sold at 50 cents for a street paver and 25 cents for a sidewalk paver.  Some of the pavers have been at the Urbana Public Works work yard in Northeast Urbana for twenty years, with more being added as brick streets and sidewalks are replaced with asphalt and concrete.
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The Annual PACA Membership Party was held on Sunday, October 19th at the Salvage Warehouse on Washington Street.  Members enjoyed catering by Bombay Indian Grill and Chevys Fresh Mex restaurants and a dessert buffet from corporate member Radio Maria.

This year’s membership party was held on October 7, 2007 at the Salvage Warehouse.  It was cool enough for a bonfire.