Trail West

The proposal calls for a $35 million, 203,000-square-foot building on the Beaufort Street side of Uptown Circle, as well as a $25 million, 126,000-square-foot building on the North Street side.

The two six-story buildings would bring more than 200 apartments to Uptown along with retail and restaurant space.

Two longtime empty buildings bordering Uptown Circle in Normal could be the site of new construction, after a design review committee approved a Joliet company's proposed Trail East and Trail West developments.

A Joliet-based contractor is proposing two six-story buildings with restaurants and residential space to become the long-planned Trail East and Trail West developments near Uptown Circle.

The Town of Normal's Historic Preservation Commission will decide whether or not to approve demolition of three Uptown Normal buildings at its next meeting.

After more than eight years of trying, the Town of Normal may be able to move ahead with the Trail East and West developments on Uptown Circle. And if council members balk at a price increase for the Uptown Underpass, the town could have to repay millions in grant funding.

The new version of the proposed Trail East and West development project in Uptown Normal would be primarily residential housing on the north side of the traffic circle straddling Constitution Trail. And a controversial mural on a building in the project footprint would likely be torn down.

There are changes coming to plans for two large, mixed-use buildings on Uptown Circle in Normal. "We're in active discussions with two developers looking to do trailside east and trailside west," said Mayor Chris Koos.

Rising interest rates have blocked the hoped-for start of construction this spring on a flagship development project in Uptown Normal.

The Town of Normal is moving ahead with work on the proposed Trail West and East Project in Uptown even though a development agreement is not yet in place. City Manager Pam Reece said there's a lot to be done to prepare for the start of construction next spring.