Urbana staff propose replacing Elm Street brick sidewalks with concrete; commissioners and residents press for Section 106 input

City staff presented preliminary plans for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)–funded replacement of the brick sidewalks along East Elm Street and portions of South Urbana Avenue, telling the Urbana Historic Preservation Commission the work would replace existing brick pathways with 6-inch Portland cement concrete to improve accessibility and sidewalk width.

The staff memo said the project is subject to Section 106 review under a 2021 programmatic agreement (PA) the city holds with the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office (SHIPO) and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. That PA authorizes a qualified professional on staff to administer Section 106 for certain HUD-funded projects; the city’s grant specialist, Eric McCann, said he is preparing the environmental and cultural-resources materials and has asked the commission for comments to share with SHIPO by April 6…