Illinois Main Street architects to visit downtown Batavia October 10

BATAVIA - Architects with the Illinois Main Street program will visit downtown Batavia on Tuesday, October 10 to provide free education and design assistance to community leaders and business owners who want to revitalize their historic downtown.

 

A luncheon workshop is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. October 10 at the Batavia City Government Center Council Chambers, 100 N. Island Ave.  Project Designer Anna Margaret Borntrager will present "Maintenance for ‘Main Street' Buildings" focusing on maintenance and repair of historic buildings as essential parts of downtown revitalization. The presentation will identify common causes of deterioration in historic building materials and examine necessary and appropriate repair techniques.  The luncheon workshop is free to Batavia businesses and Main Street partners and $10 for guests from outside Batavia.  Reservations should be made by Friday, October 6 by contacting the Batavia Main Street office at (630) 761-3528 or britta@downtownbatavia.com.

 

Following the luncheon workshop, Main Street architects are scheduled to tour historic downtown buildings to provide property owners and businesses onsite consultations.  Businesses in the downtown Batavia historic district considering exterior façade improvements or interior historic renovations are scheduled for visits and may qualify for a written plan or an architectural design for a historic building façade rehabilitation.  Any downtown business that would like a consultation should call (630) 761-3528 and they will be scheduled if space is still available. The public is welcome to accompany the group and learn what could be in store for the downtown area.  

 

The City of Batavia's matching façade grant program information packet will also be available from Mary Ann Monzani of the City's Community Development Department.

 

            The architects provide these services at no charge to Illinois Main Street communities like Batavia.   

 

            Illinois Main Street is administered in the Office of Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn with architectural assistance from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.  Designated Main Street communities receive a variety of professional services including free design assistance with advice on maintenance, code issues, and technical and product information.  For more information on Illinois Main Street, visit www.IllinoisMainStreet.org.