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The Franklin Square Neighborhood Project
Certified Historic Restoration
Restoring the Franklin Square National Register Historic District to its 1885–1905 historic character.
The Franklin Park Foundation has proposed a Certified Historic Restoration of the Franklin Square National Register Historic District — encompassing the district’s public park, surrounding private residences, and associated public infrastructure. The restoration will return this cherished Bloomington landmark to its historic character using best-practice preservation techniques.
The Certified Restoration will be carried out in accordance with the conclusions and recommendations of the 1978 ‘Franklin Square Neighborhood Project’ study, prepared by General Design, Inc. for the City of Bloomington. The target historic period for restoration and preservation is 1885–1905.
The Case for Restoration
An Unfulfilled Promise
Franklin Square was nominated by the Franklin Square Association and admitted to the National Historic Register in 1974. In the summer of 1978, the City of Bloomington received a grant from the State of Illinois Department of Conservation to fund a study of the restoration of Franklin Square. General Design, Inc. was named to conduct the study, which was completed and presented to the Bloomington City Council in late 1978.
In 1979, the city again retained General Design, Inc. to prepare bid documents for the historic restoration and applied to the Illinois Department of Conservation Grant-in-Aid Program to fund the initial phase. In 1983, the Bloomington City Council rezoned the Franklin Square Historic District as S4/R2 Historic and Cultural District & Mixed Residence. Residents were encouraged to support the proscriptive historic rezoning on the condition that the city would fulfill its commitment to complete the restoration.
To date, the City of Bloomington has not fulfilled its 1979 commitment to the citizens and residents of the Franklin Square National Register Historic District to undertake the restoration in accordance with the study’s recommendations.
Scope of Work
What the Restoration Includes
The restoration encompasses the full 18.99-acre Franklin Square National Register Historic District, including the public park, surrounding streets, and residential area.
Park
4.16 acres
Sidewalks, tree planting, benches, lighting, monument restoration, furnishings, limestone curbing, landscape beds, cannon & carriages, ADA access
Streets
4.45 acres
Street paving, street lighting, limestone curbing, corner ramps, traffic calming, and streetscape improvements
Residential
9.37 acres
Surrounding private residences and associated public infrastructure within the Historic District
Preliminary Budget
Restoration Investment
Park Restoration
$3.1M
Streets & Infrastructure
$15.2M
Total Restoration
$18.3M
How We Fund It
Restoration Funding Sources
The restoration will be financed through a combination of public funding mechanisms, tax incentives, and private philanthropy:
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Eligible historic restoration expenses funded through an expanded TIF Redevelopment Project Area encompassing both the Mennonite/Electrolux site and the Franklin Square Historic District.
Tax-Exempt Redevelopment Income
Net income from the adjacent commercial redevelopment, channeled through the Foundation’s tax-exempt structure to benefit the restoration.
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits
A 20% Investment Tax Credit for qualified Certified Historic Rehabilitation costs, syndicated to generate restoration capital.
Tax-Deductible Donations & Grants
Charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and organizations who share our commitment to preserving Franklin Square.
Project Timeline
Restoration Schedule
The estimated total restoration duration is 36 months, organized across the following phases:
Due Diligence & Redevelopment Agreement — 6 months
Schematic Design — 3 months
Design Development — 3 months
Contract Documents — 3 months
Bidding & Construction — 12–18 months
Final Completion & Commissioning — 3 months
Grand Opening
Support the Restoration of Franklin Square
Your tax-deductible contribution directly funds the preservation of this irreplaceable historic landmark.
Franklin Park Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit · EIN: 88-0701718