A downtown Galesburg business that provides day services for community members with intellectual and developmental disabilities has acquired a now vacant neighboring lot with plans to turn it into a green space.
According to Knox County property transfers, KCCDD, Inc. — rebranded as Thrive Community Services — purchased the lot at 149 E. Main Street from 61401 Galesburg LLC of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, on Monday for $17,000.
Thrive owns The Hub, 143 E. Main St. located directly west of the vacant lot. The Hub, which provides community day services for community members with intellectual and developmental disabilities, was closed for nearly six months following a Feb. 19 fire that destroyed the adjacent building at the corner of Main and Prairie streets.
Pam Green, CEO of Thrive Community Services, tells WGIL, “We’re looking at turning that area into a green space to be used at lunch to leisure time.”
Green envisions adding a variety of landscaping including trees and also picnic tables on the newly-acquired lot.
The lot at 149 E. Main St. appraised for the sale price of $17,000, according to Green.
Originally opened in February 2020, The Hub is known for being a space which local agencies can hold meetings or activities.
An early-morning fire on Feb. 19 caused extensive structural and water damage of the 3-story building at 149-151 E. Main St. The building was demolished June 1.
Green said The Hub was able to avoid any major damage from the fire. She said work is underway to secure the east facing foundation. She said the facade on the east side of The Hub will be repaired in the spring with an E.I.F.S. material, commonly known as a synthetic stucco, to match the west side of the building.
Steve Gugliotta, director of Community Development, says work will soon begin to install city sidewalks at Main and Prairie streets that were damaged during the demolition process.
