LDN - Today's Top Stories

Part 3

Living downtown

New trend fills apartments
on South Sangamon Street

[OCT. 9, 2000] Years ago, living downtown meant "living above the store," a matter of economy and convenience for families just getting a start in business. Later, when "the store" prospered, the families would move to a home in a residential neighborhood. While living downtown was practical, it wasn’t generally considered fashionable. Today it can provide economy and convenience or living quarters as elegant as any you will find in a strictly residential district.

Larry and Bette Steffens’ new apartment

Larry and Bette Steffens like the idea of living downtown so well they will soon be leaving their large country home and moving to a 4,000-square-foot apartment, again renovated with their own hands. They "started from scratch" on the upper floor, once the warehouse for the old Gehlbach Hardware store, complete with a freight elevator (which they are going to keep).

The look they are creating is1890s, with 10-foot ceilings, tall baseboards, stenciling above the windows, and dark wood stained to match throughout the apartment. A fireplace in the commodious living room is flanked by lighted cabinets to display Bette’s collection of glass from all over Europe. Chandeliers, made in the Czech Republic, add to the old-world ambiance. A den and TV room at the back has another fireplace, and one bath will include a Jacuzzi. The elevator will take Steffens to his basement workshop under the Pink Shutter, where he will continue to work on his hobbies of taxidermy and wildlife painting.

Although he’s enjoyed his country home, Steffens is looking forward to living downtown. "We’ll have low maintenance, no snow removal problems, no lawn to mow. We won’t have to drive 10 miles to get a loaf of bread or wait to have pizza delivered. We can baby-sit with our grandchildren. When we’re working downstairs, we can run up for lunch or a nap," he said.

[to top of second column in this section]

Though his own new home was just an empty loft, Steffens found 54 separate little rooms when he started renovations over the restaurant and furniture shop, once the old Eckerts Meat Market. That wasn’t surprising, though, he explained, because Sangamon Street was "Hotel Row" back in the days when train travel was the way businessmen came to town. There were five hotels on the block: the Monroe House, the Western Hotel, the Illinois House, the C & A and the Spitling Hotel. (These hotels are shown in the mural on the back wall of Neal Tire, opposite the places where they once stood.) So returning the upper floors to living quarters is, in one way, coming full circle.

Steffens pointed out that there are more small rooms above Flounders and the Blue Dog, the other businesses on the block. "We could have 46 living units on the 100 and 200 blocks of South Sangamon Street if everybody made apartments over their businesses," he said.

(To be continued)

[Joan Crabb]

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Part 2

Living downtown

New trend fills apartments
on South Sangamon Street

[OCT. 7, 2000] Years ago, living downtown meant "living above the store," a matter of economy and convenience for families just getting a start in business. Later, when "the store" prospered, the families would move to a home in a residential neighborhood. While living downtown was practical, it wasn’t generally considered fashionable. Today it’s a national trend, according to local contractor Dale Bassi, and it can provide economy and convenience or living quarters as elegant as any you will find in a strictly residential district.

Bassi-Crisafulli apartments,
12 Steffens units

Dale Bassi and Larry Crisafulli are nearly done with the first phase of their current project: three apartments over the Elder Cycle shop. Each unit has a unique configuration. One of them is rented to Allan Elder, owner of the cycle shop. He shares it with wife Paulie and watchdog Gizmo. Elder enjoys the convenience of living above his business and the great sunsets he can see from the second-story windows.

His two-bedroom unit has a contemporary feeling, with brick walls, hardwood floors and an open living-dining area that is light and roomy. Four closets and the furnace room provide storage space. A three-bedroom apartment at the front of the same building has just been rented, while a two-bedroom unit is still to be finished.

Next door, the space above 205 is nothing but an empty loft at the moment, but plans call for two front apartments with sleeping lofts, and a one-bedroom unit in the rear. The Bassi-Crisafulli apartments will have many amenities, including hardwood floors, all new plumbing and wiring, and individual forced-air furnaces. Outer walls are insulated, as well as the walls separating the individual apartments.

[to top of second column in this section]

The apartments will have a front entrance and foyer on Sangamon Street, and a back entrance with a handicapped-accessible ramp. An elevator and a laundry room will be available for all tenants. Tenants can park behind the building, and Bassi said he may provide some garage space. Rental costs will range from $400 to $700.

The two-bedroom apartment is already spoken for, Bassi said, and he is getting inquiries about the others, which won’t be ready until spring. "These are people who don’t want to live in an apartment complex. They find this kind of living pretty desirable."

Larry Steffens has no trouble keeping his 12 units rented. "There are always people interested in economical housing. We provide steam heat, water, sewage, trash disposal and a laundry room. There is also a terrace where tenants can enjoy the outdoors. This is a high security building. Tenants have their own keys and there are security cameras in the hallways," he said.

Rents range from $300 to $500, depending on the unit. Units run from efficiencies to two-bedroom apartments. Parking is also available behind the buildings. The Steffens family, Larry and Bette and sons Jon and Jason, have done all the renovation work on the apartments as well as on the three businesses downstairs: Grapes and Grounds, which sells coffee and fine wines, and Eckerts Fine Furnishings and Fine Dining.

(To be continued)

[Joan Crabb]

[click here for Part 3]

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Part 1

Living downtown

New trend fills apartments
on South Sangamon Street

[OCT. 6, 2000] Years ago, living downtown meant "living above the store," a matter of economy and convenience for families just getting a start in business. Later, when "the store" prospered, the families would move to a home in a residential neighborhood. While living downtown was practical, it wasn’t generally considered fashionable.

Today it’s a national trend, according to local contractor Dale Bassi, and it can provide economy and convenience or living quarters as elegant as any you will find in a strictly residential district. For example, Bassi reports, builders in Bloomington are fixing up apartments "left and right" in the downtown area. "They tell me there is no lack of demand for downtown residential living quarters, as long as they are of good quality and have the expected amenities," he said.

Apartments on Lincoln’s South Sangamon Street are proof that living downtown is popular here as well. Bassi and his partner, Dr. Larry Crisafulli, have no trouble finding renters for the apartments they are constructing on the second floors of the two buildings they own, 201 and 205.

[to top of second column in this article]

Across the street, in the 100 block, the Steffens family has renovated the upper floors of three buildings to create 12 apartments, all currently rented, and Larry and Bette Steffens are building a new 4,000-square-foot home for themselves above the Pink Shutter Thrift Shop.

In addition, about the first of November, Steffens will open the first bed-and-breakfast the city has had in recent years, and a second bed-and-breakfast suite is in the works. Both will be luxurious, with living rooms, big bedrooms and Jacuzzis, and both will be downtown, "above the store."

(To be continued)

[Joan Crabb]

[click here for Part 2]

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Domestic violence program and candlelight walk scheduled for Oct. 12
[OCT. 5, 2000] The Logan County Domestic Violence Task Force will have a candlelight walk on Thursday, Oct. 12, beginning at 7 p.m. at Washington Monroe School. Participants will walk from the school to the Logan County Courthouse, where Judge Donald Behle will speak and make introductions for the domestic violence presentations. There will be an interpretive dance, dramatic readings and a display of silhouettes of domestic violence victims, known as the Silent Witnesses. Everyone is welcome to participate in the candlelight walk and attend the presentations at the courthouse. The H.Y.P.E. group (Helping Youth in a Positive Environment) from Lincoln Junior High School will provide child care in the gymnasium at Washington Monroe School. Also, the Silent Witnesses will be on display in the courthouse rotunda throughout the day on Oct. 12.

Announcements

Notice to absentee voters

[OCT. 9, 2000] Registered voters expecting to be absent from the county on the Nov. 7 election day may vote in person at the Logan County Clerk’s Office, second floor, Courthouse, Room 20, Lincoln, from now until Nov. 6.

Registered voters expecting to be absent from the county on election day or those who are permanently disabled or incapacitated may now make application by mail to vote absentee. Applications will be received by the county clerk until Nov. 2. No ballots will be sent by mail after Nov. 2, as provided by law.

Sally J. Litterly

Logan County Clerk

Election Authority

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Logan County FY2001 budget

Totals of requested increases

[OCT. 7, 2000] Following is a list of budget requests that were heard by the Logan County Board Finance Committee on Aug. 11, 16 and 17. These requests will be compiled by the auditor and matched with the anticipated revenue for the 2001 fiscal year (Dec. 1). The finance committee will then review these numbers, make necessary adjustments and prepare a recommendation to the entire County Board in the next month. There will be a public meeting entirely devoted to budget matters in the future.

Rod White, finance chairman, 732-4793

* Senior requests and Oasis, $80,956; CIEDC, $45,000; Rural Health Partnership, $25,000 = total of $150,000 requested; approximately $70,000 available.

* Non-mandated (County Farm Fund): Main Street Lincoln, $10,000; economic development, $25,000; soil and water, $4,000; Teen Court, $3,500 = total of $42,500 requested; approximately $16,000 available.

* Court security (open another door at courthouse): one employee, $16,640; plus metal detector, $10,000 = total of $26,640 requested

* Court request: new microphone, $1,000; increase in bailiff pay, $2,000; new judge support, $4,500 = total of $7,500 requested

* Sheriff’s Department: one additional deputy; one additional car= $120,000; parking lot resurface, $20,000

* Paramedics: new ambulance, $90,000

[to top of second column in this section]

* Superintendent of schools: if office is moved, the county will have to provide all of the rental money, $20,000

* Building and grounds: for possible new building or additional space for offices, $100,000

* Coroner: unable to work plan with paramedics or ESDA office; will house coroner’s office in funeral home until office is found elsewhere, $ ?

* Public defender: public defender’s salary, $32,422 (increased by $13,000; law says salary must be 40 percent of state's attorney’s salary, which went up this year and is expected to go up for four years); additional assistant, $15,000

* Animal control: to replace old animal-transport unit on truck, $10,000

Approximate total: $600,000

County Board committee meeting dates for October 2000

Committee

Location

Date

Time

Board of Whole Courthouse Thursday, Oct. 12 7 p.m.

Finance Courthouse Friday, Oct. 13 8 a.m.

Adjourned Board Courthouse Tuesday, Oct. 17 7 p.m.

Joint Solid Waste City Hall Wednesday, Oct. 18 7 p.m.

Special Adjourned Board Courthouse Thursday, Oct. 19 7 p.m.

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