Princess Theater - 120 - 124 W Main St
The Cinema Gallery was originally called Busey’s Hall, and later called the Princess Theater. Busey’s Hall was built in 1870, as an opera house and businesses. The building burned down and was rebuilt in 1878. It was converted to the Princess Theatre in 1915, with a massive neon marquee added in 1934. It was purchased by Kerasotes Theatres and renamed the Cinema Theatre in 1967. In 1995, Norman and Carolyn Baxley bought the building and renovated it for retail shops and, later, an art gallery. Current tenants also include the Urbana Dance Academy.This building is a local landmark and a contributing property to the Downtown Historic District.
Rose Bowl Tavern - 106 N. Race St.
106 North Race Street, or Rose Bowl Tavern, was designed by the Urbana architect Joseph Royer in the Beaux-Arts style, and was likely being his first concrete block structure. The original tenant was the United States Post Office until it moved to its new-er facility at 202 South Broadway in 1914. Colonel Nathaniel Cohen owned the property and, when the Post Office left, converted the building to a vaudeville theatre. The Rose Bowl Tavern has been providing music and entertainment here since 1947. This property’s historical impact is identified as “contributing” to the Urbana Downtown Historic District.
Nat Cohen Building
The Nathan H. Cohen Building is located at the corner of West Main and North Race Streets, and covers 132 and 136 West Main Street. It is an example of Classic Revival design and attributed to famous Urbana architect Joseph Royer, built of red brick with extensive ivory terra cotta trim in 1907. It even has an infamous gargoyle! Original tenants include a bank, a barber, and a confectioner on the first floor and a cigar factory on the second floor. Recent renovations will provide a restaurant and office space. Property owner Dan Maloney worked with city staff to bring the vision of the Downtown Urbana Historic District to reality.
The Urbana Free Library
The Urbana Free Library is located near the intersection of Race Street and Green Street. The two-story, limestone building was designed by the Urbana architect Joseph Royer in the Beaux-Arts style in 1918. The original east entrance has large Doric columns with a recessed arch and balustrade, creating a lovely terrace space. The main entrance shifted in 2003, with the addition along Green Street. You can check out more than books, visit the coffeeshop, and enjoy the Race Street terrace!This property’s historical impact is identified as “contributing” to the Downtown Historic District.
Tres Nopales
114 South Race Street, or Tres Nopales, was originally a one-story, red brick structure built around 1885 and first occupied by a meat market. A second story was added around 1912. Long time tenants included the Embassy Tavern. In the last decade, there have been a few new tenants. Today the building is occupied by Tres Nopales, a new Mexican restaurant.This property’s historical impact is identified as “contributing” to the Downtown Historic District.
Whittaker Building
133 West Main Street was built in 1890 and first occupied by a confectioner. It is known as the Whittaker Building for the jeweler that occupied it until the 1990s. It is an over-tall two-story building with a curved display storefront. It was recently purchased and is being renovated into residential and commercial spaces.The building faces Main Street to the North and Fish Alley to the South. Check out Fish Alley to see one of Urbana’s newest murals in the back of the 123 West Main building. This mural was funded and implemented by Urbana’s Arts & Culture program, and created by artist Carlie Upchurch.This property’s historical impact is identified as “contributing” to the Downtown Historic District.
Crane Alley - Outdoor Seating
Tiernan’s Block at 115 West Main Street was built in 1870, at the same time as Busey’s Block across Main Street. Originally a three-story Italianate-styled building of Urbana brick with fluted iron columns and stone lintels, it was renovated in 1914 into a four-story terra cotta marvel in the Classical Revival style by famous Urbana architect Joseph Royer. The block is also an Urbana local landmark. Originally, it housed both a grocer and a druggist on the first floor, with a post office in the druggist’s. The second floor housed offices and the third floor was Tiernan’s opera hall. In 1887, the Urbana Masons relocated their lodge to the third floor, which they occupied until 1978. Tenants over the years included sports stores, attorneys, restaurants, and government offices. In 1997, Norman and Carolyn Baxley bought the building and renovated it for professional offices. Current tenants include Crane Alley Restaurant and Applied Pavement Technology.
Independant Media Center
The United States Post Office is located at the southeast corner of South Broadway Avenue and East West Elm Street, at 202 South Broadway. It was designed by Oscar Wenderoth in the Classical Revival style. The two-story, tan brick structure sits on a limestone base with a recessed grand entrance that is supported by four large limestone Corinthian columns. It is also listed in the Inventory of Historic Structures before W.W.II in Champaign County. The building is owned and operated by the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, a grassroots organization that supports the creation and distribution of media and art.
Urbana-Lincoln Hotel
The Urbana-Lincoln Hotel is located at the southwest corner of South Broadway Avenue and West Elm Street, at 209 South Broadway Avenue. It was designed by the famous Urbana architect Joseph Royer in the Tudor Revival style and had a grand opening on November 14, 1923. The original four-story red brick structure featured exterior stucco and “half-timbering” on the third level. Other features include prominent gables, roof dormers, a steeply-pitched roof, exterior murals, faux wood balconies, and a crenelated brick entrance tower that can still be seen above the mall roof. The Jumer’s Hotel chain built a four-story addition in 1983. The Hotel is also listed as a landmark in the National Register of Historic Places with Lincoln Square Mall, and is listed in the Inventory of Historic Structures before W.W.II in Champaign County. It was recently purchased by a national hotel chain and renovations are currently in the design phase – stay tuned!
