| Friday, March 30, 2007 11:10 PM CDT |
State Police HQ preservation moves ahead
SPRINGFIELD -- Supporters of saving the historic Illinois State Police headquarters on old Route 66 near Pontiac got good news Friday when lawmakers voted to give Livingston County ownership of the building.
State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, sponsored the measure and said the pistol-shaped building is an important part of the historic roadway and that the move will help secure its future.
“It’s unique in its structure and it’s a part of the heritage of Route 66,” Rutherford said. “But it’s just a surplus piece of state property now.”
Rutherford said local control means that the people who care most about the building will have a greater say in its fate.
The exterior of the building is in good shape but it does need some repairs, he added.
The move comes just days after the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Built in 1941, the building was vacated in 2004 when a new state police headquarters was built nearby.
The 5,100-square-foot building was the base for state troopers who patrolled roads from Dwight to McLean.
The measure now heads to the House for debate.
The legislation is Senate Bill 768.
Mike Riopell contributed to this report
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