Pantagraph.com Weather forecast, local radar and more
NewsTuesday, November 21, 2006 11:38 PM CST
Comments Comments (2) | E-mail this page E-mail this page | Print this page Print this page | Enlarge type Enlarge type | Reduce type Reduce type | Search archives Search archives | RSS RSS feeds | Add to My Yahoo! Add to My Yahoo!
Future of gun-shaped ISP building uncertain
By Karen Walters
kwalters@pantagraph.com
Advertisement

PONTIAC -- Efforts continue to preserve a pistol-shaped icon of local Route 66 history, but its future remains unknown.

The former Illinois State Police District 6 headquarters, about two miles south of Pontiac on old Route 66, may be registered soon as a historic landmark -- and the state may put it up for sale.

“It has a great deal of history to it,” State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, said. “It is truly a jewel of Route 66.”

Pontiac Mayor Scott McCoy said he and members of the City Council have been told about the possible sale, but they don’t have any plans to take action.

“Right now, I don’t know of anything we could use it for,” McCoy said. “But I’ll never say never.”

The 5,100-square-foot building opened in 1941 as the base for troopers who patrolled the state roads between Dwight and McLean. It closed in 2004, and the state police moved into a new building.

Next month, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency will consider adding the building to the National Register of Historic Places.

Also, the Illinois Department of Central Management Services sent letters to the local leaders in Livingston County, asking if they were interested in buying the building and surrounding land for about $63,900.

Renewed discussions

Rutherford said the future ownership of the building remains undetermined, but the actions by the two state agencies have renewed talks about the building’s future. He said there have been several ideas for possible ways to use the building, but there is no long term plan for it.

“The challenge is who would have the resources to maintain it,” he said. “It has to go to someone with the ability to sustain (the building) over time.”

While space was an issue, the police also left the building because the roof and plumbing systems needed extensive repairs. The future owners would have to address those issues.

In 2000, the Route 66 Association of Illinois put the state police building into its hall of fame, which recognizes people and places with a connection to Route 66.

The new state police headquarters is at the corner of Old Airport Road and Lincoln Street. It is next to the Pontiac Correctional Center and the new Livingston County Jail and Public Safety Complex.

Video
Most commented stories
Browse online archives
Recent issues:
Reader comments on this story - 2 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

GWB wrote on Nov 22, 2006 7:11 AM:

" I know the Google. I understand the Google. "

Senator Stevens (R)-AK Fan Club wrote on Nov 22, 2006 1:23 AM:

" If the Pantagraph were to show a picture of this building, it would clog their tubes. I best do what the President does and use The Google to search the Internets. "
Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login?
(requires cookies)
  Forgot Your Password?
 
Lee Enterprises Customer Service | 301 W. Washington St., PO Box 2907, Bloomington, IL 61701-2907 | Ph. 309-829-9000 | 800-747-7323
Copyright © 2008, Pantagraph Publishing Co. and Lee Enterprises. All rights reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy