The Galesburg Downtown will get another big hand towards its ongoing beautification efforts in the form of a $2 million grant.
Interim City Manager Wayne Carl announced at Monday’s City Council meeting that Galesburg’s been approved for one of the three submissions for the State of Illinois’ Rebuild Downtowns and Main Streets Grant program. The grant will fund reconstructing Parking Lot H, the lot across the street from the Orpheum Theater.
The work would include landscaping and resurfacing the lot, and adding covered areas for both parking and use for events.
This plan was first put forward in the Downtown Development Plan that Aldermen approved in 2016. The grant will also cover reconstructing sidewalks and curbing on Simmons from Cherry to Kellogg.
Galesburg Council also breezily passed a new mural ordinance that would clear the way for more public art in town.
It was clarified that although the ordinance doesn’t allow murals in residentially zoned districts- there are some exceptions.
For example, exceptions could be made for buildings like a church or nursing home, if they wanted a mural.
