By Joe Ragusa
NORMAL – Plans to demolish the Mecherle Hall building on the east side of the Advocate BroMenn medical facility hit a snag Tuesday when the Normal Historic Preservation Commission shot down a proposal to tear down the building.
It was built in 1941 and members of the commission felt it had too much historical significance. The building is named after State Farm’s founder George Mecherle.
Construction project manager at Advocate BroMenn, Tim Bassett, said it could cost several million dollars to try and renovate or re-purpose the building. It currently houses the hospital’s behavioral health program, but there are plans to move that program in the Spring.
Advocate BroMenn vice president Robert Miller said the hospital wants to turn the building into a meditation garden.
“We would preserve the legacy of the Mecherle Hall building with that meditation garden,” Miller said. “We do want to be good neighbors. We do want to be good partners with the community, and I think this is an opportunity to do just that.”
The Normal Town Council has 30 days to file a landmark status request that it would later have to vote on. Otherwise, the demolition will go through as planned.
The planning commission also has a say in whether or not Advocate BroMenn can turn the property into green space and Normal Town Planner Mercy Davison said she can’t see a reason why that wouldn’t be approved.
The Historic Preservation Commission approved the demolition of the 1913 building, which Advocate BroMenn intends to use as a corridor between other existing building on the campus.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].
