URBANA – After a year’s delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, work has begun on renovating a long-closed downtown Urbana hotel. Plans are to reopen the building as the Hotel Royer, with the promise of city financing if the work is completed. The new name honors the hotel’s architect, Urbana native Joseph Royer, whose other
This weekend marks the opening of Market at the Square, Urbana’s outdoor farmers market held in the Lincoln Square Mall parking lot. Although it will open as scheduled, there will be social distancing measures in place to protect shoppers and vendors. For one, all shoppers are required to wear masks upon entry and are required
The Rose Bowl Tavern in downtown Urbana has been open since 1946, but it’s never experienced anything quite like the COVID-19 pandemic. Charlie Harris is one of the Rose Bowl’s owners. Illinois Public Media’s Brian Moline spoke with him about what happens when a tavern can no longer be a tavern. Illinois Newsroom’s Brian