By Neil Doyle and Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – A couple major developments have been announced for Uptown Normal that might answer criticism about vacant space in existing and future Uptown buildings.

The town announced Monday the empty area on the first floor of the College Avenue Parking Deck could be occupied by the Illinois Art Station Foundation.

If approved, the foundation would use $1.5 to $2 million in private funds to renovate the 12,000 square foot area. Construction would be completed by March 2020.

The art station has temporarily been at Williams Hall at Illinois State University.

Also Monday, Bush Construction, the developer of the project in Uptown, announced some tenants for the building.

Bush has reserved space for ISU on the fourth floor for a startup business incubator. Afni, a collection agency, is leasing 28,000 square feet on the second floor and an undisclosed multi-national technology company will lease 5,800 square feet on the fourth floor.

In a statement, Bush said that 85 percent of the building is now under lease or has a letter of intent.

Previously, the only known Trail East tenants had been the Farnsworth Group, a first-floor food court and apartments on the fifth floor.

Bush said nearly 400 people will work in Trail East once its finished, and there will be about 200 construction workers.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected] and Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]