The Tazewell County Board is set to consider next week a $717,000 bid to demolish the historic Arcade and Tobin buildings on Capitol Street in downtown Pekin.
The county property committee was set to consider the bid from River City Demolition on Tuesday, but didn't have the required number of members present to conduct business.
The county is proposing demolishing both buildings to make way for a new Justice Center annex that would relieve pressure on the aging courthouse across the street. The county says both buildings are in poor condition.
The salvage and reassembly in a different location of the Arcade building's facade were considered in an alternate county bid request. River City Demolition says they can do it for $13,000.
The annex's construction would likely be primarily funded by American Rescue Plan Act dollars the county hasn't spent yet.
The fate of the Tobin and Arcade buildings are a source of strife between the Tazewell County Board and the Pekin City Council, which meets next door to the Justice Center. In February, the city council sold an adjacent plot sought by the county to private developer Randy Price.
The city operated for years without an active Historic Preservation Commission. Efforts by a new commission have eyed ways to beef up Pekin's protection of structures like the Tobin and Arcade buildings that are deemed historically notable.
The Tazewell County Board is set to meet next Wednesday, June 28 at 6 p.m.
