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Blickenstaff Plots Peoria Armory Renaissance

The Peoria Armory will be restored to its former glory.

Developer Kim Blickenstaff recently bought a 50 percent stake in the building. He believes he can renovate it with about $5 million and a year's worth of time.

Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said there's a sense of momentum building with all the projects happening downtown and in the Warehouse District.

"All these things combined are definitely providing some optimism in people that there really are a lot good things happening here. Not just onesies or twosies. Big projects that are having a huge impact on the community," he said. 

The armory just north of downtown was built in 1924. The venue once hosted everything from Bradley basketball to early rock 'n roll concerts before the Illinois National Guard relocated.

The building's been vacant and without a roof and exposed to the elements for years.

But KDB Group CEO Greg Birkland says the armory's still in great shape.

"The building itself is built like five courses deep of brick. So the foundation, the structure, is all in place. It's a historical building. It's Kim's love to bring back historical places," said Birkland. 

Blickenstaff purchased the Scottish Rite Cathedral down the road and is also contributing funding to restore the Peoria Women's Club. He also has a number of major developments brewing in Peoria Heights. 

The plan is to turn the front portion of the armory into office space, and the rear space into a 4,600 seat arena for conventions, concerts, and sporting events. 

Birkland said they're in talks to bring a "very credible" G-League basketball team to Peoria. That team would call the Armory home. 

Rollie Campbell co-owns the Armory with Blickenstaff. He's been working to restore the building since 2013. 

He said plans for a five-star hotel and $60 million in financing fell through when Caterpillar canceled its plans to build its new headquarters in Peoria. 

The buildings to the immediate north and south of NE Adams will be demolished to make way for parking. 

Tim is the News Director at WCBU Peoria Public Radio.