Latest Updates on the Restoration Progress of the Burwell Building

The Burwell Building (or what many long time residents know affectionately as the "Loy's" building) stands as a significant piece of Gibson City's history, and its restoration has captured the attention of residents and visitors alike. This update covers the latest progress on the restoration project, highlighting key milestones, challenges, and what to expect next. The effort to bring this historic building back to life reflects the community’s dedication to preserving its heritage while adapting to modern needs.

The 'in-progress' photo of the west wall being torn down and re-built by Solid Rock Masonry

Historical Significance of the Burwell Building

The Burwell Building has been a landmark in Downtown Gibson City since its construction in the late 19th century. Originally serving as the town's first Opera House, it housed various local businesses that contributed to the town’s growth. Over the decades, the building’s architecture and design have made it a symbol of Gibson City’s past.

Preserving this building is more than just maintaining bricks and mortar; it is about keeping a tangible connection to the community’s roots. And, preventing an eyesore in teh middle of our downtown district. The restoration project aims to retain as much of the original character as possible while ensuring the building meets current safety and usability standards. If you want to read more about the history of the building and the people who have played a part in it's history - see our previous posts here.

The goal of the Restoration Association is is to fully restore the 140+ year old former Opera House located at 107 N. Sangamon Ave.  Our work is being broken down into stages, per the advice of our architectural engineer. 

• The first phase is to repair/restore the outside of the building to prevent further deterioration of existing construction and address existing building conditions. This is the phase we are currently in.

• The second phase is to restore the main floor into a usable space with restrooms, storage area, and a small prep kitchen. This will allow the Association to rent out this space to provide income needed to restore the second floor.

• The third phase will be to restore the upstairs opera house into an event venue along with overnight accommodation space.

Current Restoration Progress

In the 5 years since the creation of our 501c3 non-profit restoration association, we have accomplished the following:

• Purchased the building in 2021 at a cost of $8,000

• Held garage sales to clear the contents left behind by the previous owners

• Demolished the back addition that was in a state of disrepair

• Repaired the crumbling parapet walls on the roof (they were so bad the roof wouldn't even be able to be attached to it - so these repairs were needed to be done first

• Completely tore off the old roof and replaced it with a new membrane roof

• Had new gutters installed to help move that rain water away from the walls

• Completely tore down the west wall and replaced it with a new concrete block wall

• Painted the new concrete block west wall a soothing slate grey color

• Installed a new double door on the first floor in the back of the building 

• Tuckpointed the South Wall

• Purchased new windows for the South and West wall

Some projects are still in progress as of the writing of this post, including:

• Installation of the South and West wall windows on the second floor

• Installation of new electrical service to the building

Challenges Faced During Restoration

Restoring a historic building comes with unique challenges. The Burwell Building project encountered several obstacles:

• Material Sourcing

Finding materials that meet our restoration goals and budget has been a challenge. We all know how high the cost of building materials has been. Add to it the fact that we aren't sourcing your general every day materials (for example, the 10 ft high historical reproduction windows) and the sourcing of those materials becomes a challenge.

• Preserving Original Details

Some architectural details are fragile or deteriorated, such as the interior tin ceiling. Our aim is to restore as much to original as we can, but we need to do it carefully and methodically. The team has to balance restoration with preservation, sometimes opting for careful replication when originals could not be saved (for example, the west wall was not in a state where it could be restored or repaired - it had to all come down and we had to start new).

• Budget Constraints

Like many restoration projects, funding posed a challenge. The team prioritized critical repairs and sought grants and community support to keep the project on track. When we get asked how long this is going to take, our answer always is "as long as it takes to raise the money needed to complete it". We will only complete projects as we have the money to pay for them.

• Weather Delays

Seasonal weather affected the pace of exterior work, especially during winter months when masonry and roofing tasks slowed down.

• Skilled Craftsmen's Schedules

We have been fortunate to have wonderful contractors to help assist us with this work. But let's face it - there is a shortage of skilled craftsmen/women out there. They are all stretched thin and have a lot more work on their schedules than time to complete it. For example, we have had our historical reproduction windows on order since early fall. We got them delivered the middle of October. We are still waiting in line (patiently) until our contractor is able to install them for us. Add in the fact that we aren't asking them to just install a normal every day window, but a 10 ft high historical reproduction window and the work becomes that much more complicated.

NOTE: with that said, if you are a skilled craftsmen/contractor and have time to help us out now or in the future, please reach out to us. Once we get started on the inside work, the weather will play less of a factor on our progress. We'd love to have a list of skilled contractors we can pull out when needed.

Community Involvement and Support

The restoration of the Burwell Building has been a community effort. Local volunteers, historical restoration experts, and city officials have contributed time and resources. Fundraising events and awareness campaigns help generate support and keep the public informed. We've also been very fortunate to win a few grants that have helped to move our restoration efforts along.

This involvement has strengthened community pride and ensured that the project reflects local values. Many residents have shared stories and photographs that helped guide the restoration to be as authentic as possible.

Please see the flyer below on ways to support our efforts. And remember, we still hold a weekly Queen of Hearts drawing every Wednesday night at Mark's On First Bar and Grill. See more about the drawing here. Our current jackpot is over $6000!

What to Expect Next

The restoration team is now focusing on finishing exterior work and preparing the first floor for its new purpose. Next on our list of projects is:

• Tuckpointing of the Front (East) wall facing Sangamon Avenue, including removal of the tan metal flashing currently installed above and below the store front windows

• Installation of new store front windows and front entrance doors

• Complete re-wiring of the downstairs electrical and installation of new lighting

• Stripping off the paint on the original tin ceiling and re-painting them

• Tearing out the existing flooring and replacing any damaged flooring

• Refinishing (if possible) the hardwood floors or installing new flooring

• Installation of HVAC system

• Installation of ADA accessible bathrooms

• Addition of a pre-kitchen in the rear of the first floor

  
  

This is a long-haul project as we like to say. Nothing is going to be done overnight. We've known that from the start. But, with the communities' continued support, incoming grants, additional fundraisers and a whole lotta faith, we will complete this project. Who knows when that will be, but what a grand party we will have when it's all done!