Neighborhoods Archives - Page 12 of 18

Clark Park Neighborhood in Fall 2018. Residents are fighting for ordinances to regulate the sizes of big homes, which are unaligned with standard houses in the neighborhood. City Council voted against the text amendment regarding zoning ordinances at the Oct. 15 meeting. Photo: Mike McMillen.

Clark Park continues to fight against building of giant houses

Post author:Julie Kang / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: November 12, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

In the ongoing battle over the construction of big homes in the Clark Park Neighborhood, there have been some victories for the residents: one is the limits on the size of garages that will reduce the size of the homes.

Wilbur Heights residents stuck in industrial “hodge-podge”

Post author:Katherine Walker / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: November 12, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

The neighborhood was zoned “light industrial.” This ordinance prohibited any resident from making any substantial repairs to their home. This was over 45 years ago. Today, despite news articles and the efforts of James and his former colleagues, Wilbur Heights remains a “hodge-podge” of residential and commercial properties.

Read more about the article Busey Avenue to get needed repairs – in 2021

Erik Sofranko

The brick-set Busey Avenue in Urbana will get long-awaited repairs-- but not until 2021. Photo taken Oct. 30, 2019.

Busey Avenue to get needed repairs – in 2021

Post author:Erik Sofranko / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: November 8, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

Urbana city officials acknowledge the crumbling conditions of Busey Avenue between Green Street and Illinois Avenue, but ask residents to wait another two years…

One of Countrybrook’s signs at the corner / Meghan Rest

Champaign duo use after-school program to reduce violence in one low-income neighborhood

Post author:Meghan Rest / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: November 5, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

The apartment complex tucked into the 2500 block of West Springfield Ave. in Champaign, Illinois, has been home to multiple fatal shootings over the last decade. The most recent shooting took the life of a 21-year-old Scott Roth on May 5, earlier this year, according to Champaign Police Reports.

Garden Hills residents continue to deal with flooding as they wait for city solutions

Post author:Emily Stutts / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: November 4, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

Garden Hills, originally a suburban subdivision outside of the city limits, is one of the largest neighborhoods in the city of Champaign, made up of over 1,000 homes. The neighborhood currently deals with many problems including gun violence, poverty, excessive amounts of vacant homes, lack of street lights and major flooding issues.

Work underway at new Prosperity Gardens project in Beardsley Park

Post author:Chantal Vaca / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: November 4, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

With the nearest grocery store a 25-minute walk away, the Beardsley Park area is one of the food deserts of Champaign. The United States…

Bea Pavia by an apartment building on Elm Street in Champaign that was built despite protest by neighbors on Thursday, March 14, 2019. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

In-Town residents successfully alter zoning regulations

Post author:Gillian Dunlop / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: May 6, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

Residents of In-Town, a part of Champaign that prides itself on its vibrant diversity, rallied together against possible zoning developments last fall. After nearly two years of meetings and advocacy, the residents, specifically the members of both the Old Town and Washington St. Neighborhood Associations, successfully negotiated a set of conditions with the City Council that new developers must abide by when building in the In-Town District of Champaign.

Read more about the article Zoning debate leaves Clark Park homes at risk

Dylan Tiger

Amy Thoren's front yard of her home February 21 in the Clark Park neighborhood. Thoren's home experiences basement flooding, requiring five water pumps to counteract. Photo by Dylan Tiger.

Zoning debate leaves Clark Park homes at risk

Post author:Dylan Tiger
Post published: April 1, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

From all corners of her home’s basement in Clark Park, Amy Thoren combats flooding with four active water pumps. If rainfall or drainage issues…

Van Boyd wades through two feet of rain water in his basement looking for items to salvage. Photo taken July 12, 2014.

Flooding complaints on the rise in Champaign

Post author:Tiffany Jolley / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: February 25, 2015
Post category:Neighborhoods

As much as six inches of rain pummeled Champaign County last summer, flooding roads, basements and sewers and causing tens of thousands of dollars in repairs to residents' homes.

Read more about the article Homeowners pay for errors in outdated flood maps

Darrell Hoemann

Chris Genzel in his back yard in rural Champaign County where his home had been on a flood plain by mistake. Photo taken on Wednesday, February 25, 2015. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Homeowners pay for errors in outdated flood maps

Post author:Tiffany Jolley / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published: February 25, 2015
Post category:Neighborhoods

Chris and Barb Genzel have lived in the same house in Urbana for nearly 40 years and they say their house has never flooded. "Behind our house is a farm at a lower elevation, and our house backs up to a drainage ditch. We knew we were never going to flood," Chris Genzel said recently.