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Bresee Tower
2-4 N. Vermilion St., Danville
(Vermilion County)
Vacant since 2006, the Classical Revival Bresee
Tower was built in 1917 as the First National Bank,
designed by the Chicago firm of Mundie & Jensen. At
twelve stories, the Bresee Tower is the tallest building
in Danville. Later named for brothers Paul and H.R.
Bresee, who bought the building in 1963, the tower is
now owned by a Kentucky-based company that is unable to
finance a renovation. The company is willing, however,
to “gift” the building to a non-profit. The County, the
City and local groups are working together to strategize
on redevelopment options and are committed to finding a
rehabilitation solution. But the continuing
deterioration of the building’s terra cotta facades is
cause for great concern and shortens the window of
opportunity for saving this landmark building. Because
the building is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places, federal rehabilitation tax credits
could be used as part of a redevelopment.
In 1916 First National Bank hired Mundie & Jensen, the
successor firm of Jenney, Mundie & Jensen, to design a
building reflective of contemporary trends in banking
architecture. Headquartered in Chicago and founded by
William LeBaron Jenney, the father of the skyscraper,
Mundie & Jensen had already built several other
Classical Revival buildings in the Danville area. The
firm’s Baum Building, along with another significant
building, the Temple Building, were listed on Landmarks
Illinois’ Ten Most Endangered List of 2001. These two
buildings have since been demolished, leaving Bresee
Tower the only remaining significant representation of
this era and style. With the emerging economic boom of
the early 1900s, Classical Revival became the favored
architectural motif for banks, indicating stability,
permanence and rationalism. The bank building was a
real estate investment and a symbol of the prosperity of
the institution. At the time, a Classical Revival bank
at a major intersection showed that a community had
achieved prosperity and stability. Bresee Tower still
speaks to Danville’s stature in Vermilion County.
In 1963 the Bresee brothers purchased the building and
utilized its height as a broadcast point for WIAI radio
station. The current owner, a Kentucky broadcasting
company, purchased Bresee Tower in 1993.
The nature of the site, which requires a narrowly
configured building, actually serves to enhance the
property by increasing the amount of natural light and
ventilation, as opportune today as when it was built. It
is therefore conducive to a variety of uses, either as
residential or office space. It is located in a TIF
district and a local enterprise zone, adjacent to the
primary business district and local and county
government offices.
What You Can Do
For more information on The Bresee Tower, contact:
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Downtown
Danville, Inc.
Downtown Danville, Inc.
149 N. Vermillion Street
Danville, IL 61832
(217) 443-3886
info@downtowndanville.org |
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