Today’s Bloomington Pantagraph reports that a group of Atlanta, Ill., residents has made a $10,000 matching offer toward the Atlanta Library centennial campaign.
The centennial celebration is raising funds to restore the Downey building (ed. note: it houses the Palms Grill), a National Register property located along old Route 66 in downtown Atlanta. The building will house the museum, freeing up space at the library. Organizers hope to make the move by 2008 in honor of the building’s 100th birthday.
Thomas said the first phase of the plan, which involves stabilizing the building and getting it in shape, will cost about $175,000, an increase from the initial estimate of $140,000.
The second phase will be renovating the interior, with the final phase being buying what is needed to get everything ready to open. Thomas said organizers are unsure of the second- and third-phase costs.
“My personal goal is to get started on this first phase sometime in 2006,” said Thomas.
“I would say where we are now is pretty good,” said Andy Glass, Atlanta Library Board president. “When we started, we were really unsure how the community would react, and it looks like a lot are in favor.”
It doesn’t surprise me this is proceeding. Atlanta is a vibrant Route 66 community and is always looking for ways to improve tourism. Its recent open-arms acceptance of the Bunyon Statue is proof.