Illinois Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield). | File Photo
Illinois Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield). | File Photo
Reconstruction on the State Armory Building in Springfield is getting underway after the Capital Development Board said it picked an architectural design firm.
The development board tapped the firm Tilton, Kelly + Bell for the design aspect of the building at Monroe and 2nd Street that has been part of many historical moments, including a 1965 speech from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"My hometown is full of historic moments, and I believe the speech Martin Luther King, Jr. gave at the Armory during the AFL-CIO convention in 1965 is one that definitely deserves this recognition, Sen. Doris Turner (D-Carlinville) said in an April 9 Facebook post about the project. "This facility is not just a part of history but also holds tremendous potential for the future of downtown Springfield, and I eagerly await its future reuse."
Despite the building being abandoned since 2008, Turner said the building's reconstruction could transform the state's capital.
As part of the reconstruction, a bronze plaque with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1965 speech will be added to the building to commemorate where the civil rights leader spoke about justice and democracy AFL-CIO's 1965 convention.
Last month, Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) and Turner introduced a Senate Resolution to add the plaque.
The development board will oversee the $122 million project.
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