The AMVETS Debacle

File this one under "What the hell are they thinking" folder.

I've been reading here and there about the situation between the local Amvets Post 64 and the Central Illinois Landmark Foundation (CILF). CILF wants to designate the current Amvets building on Monroe St as a historical landmark. But CILF decides to do this right before the Amvets is to close on the sale of the building.

For the past 5 or 6 years, the Amvets have been trying to sell its building so that it could move to a smaller and more manageable facility. Finally, the Riverside Church agreed to purchase the Amvets building so that it could expand its church. This would then allow the Amvets to move to the former Penguin Tap in Peoria Hts. Until now...

CILF has single handily thrown a monkey wrench into the whole works. Riverside Church has backed off from the deal siting uncertainty over what the outcome will be since they would not be able to expand the church if CILF gets their way. Why did they wait this entire time while the structure was for sale and then during the 11th hour before closing, they want to designate the building as historic? This reeks of CILF purposely wanting to derail the Amvets/Riverside deal for reasons unknown.

The Peoria Jaycees monthly membership meetings have taken place there since 1994. And since the Amvets provides a meeting place, the Jaycees have supported the Amvets and will continue to do so. As a member of the Peoria Jaycees, as well as an associate member of the Amvets, I've spent considerable time in the building and I'm familiar with it. It is costly to maintain. Considerable capital would be needed to rehab it, which the Amvets does not have. So if the building should get the historic designation, it's very unlikely it will be fixed up anyway. And that's some gall... CILF telling the Amvets that their building is historic and they have to fix the place up on their dime. It's Amvets' building; they can do what they want with it.

The Amvets have other problems. Their membership is declining as its older veterans are either dying or falling ill while younger veterans are simply not joining. They also don't have the financial strength to remain there indefinitely, let alone rehabbing it because its a historic landmark.

I don't know where CILF gets off on taking this course of action, but if they really want to designate this building as a historic landmark, they should buy it from the Amvets for the same price Riverside was going to buy it. Then the Amvets can move as planned and CILF can foot the bill (and it probably would be a 7 digit figure) to rehab the place.

... end rant...