By Tom Scanlon | Peoria Times
Many around Peoria simply were happy to see the leveling of Smitty’s—long vacant and a “Grand eyesore.”
Scott Whyte says the empty space that used to be Smitty’s will grow a residential project that will be contagious in a good way, inspiring similar projects up and down Grand Avenue, which is on the outskirts of the developing Old Town Peoria.
“Redevelopment of the property that formerly housed the Smitty’s building has been a priority for the city for a long time,” said Whyte, Peoria’s real estate development officer.
A new project called Grand Commons is moving ahead at a fast clip.