{"nrhp_refnum":"86003782","name":"Illinois Traction Building","other_names":["Illinois Power Building"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"41 E. University Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Champaign","county":"Champaign County","state":"IL","lat":40.11602402800003,"lon":-88.23334974699998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2006-09-20","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Commerce","Transportation","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story red brick and terra cotta commercial and office building at 41 East University Avenue in downtown Champaign, Illinois, erected in 1913 as the central terminal and offices of the Illinois Traction System. It was designed by architect Joseph Royer.","why_significant":"The nomination argues it is a remnant of an important element in the development of Central Illinois transportation and commerce. It also stands apart architecturally from the downtown streetscape and from most of Joseph Royer's work, with creative use of white-glazed terra cotta against red brick.","narrative":"Built in 1913 at 41 East University Avenue, this three-story building served as the Champaign terminal and office headquarters of the Illinois Traction System, an interurban electric railway network that grew from local streetcar lines. Architect Joseph Royer, known for rustic and heavy styles, produced a lighter design here, with restrained ornament, expressed brick piers and large window openings. White-glazed terra cotta medallions, shields and scroll plates contrast with red brick, giving the facades a sculptural quality unusual in the two cities. It is the only known Royer-designed commercial building in Champaign-Urbana. The traction system later became Illinois Power, which used the building until 1985, long after streetcar service ended in 1936 and interurban service in 1955. Listing recognized it as a surviving piece of Central Illinois transportation and commerce history and as an architecturally distinctive downtown landmark. The exterior remains close to its original appearance, though the cornice, awnings and light fixtures were removed.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"Architect: Joseph Royer; Builder: Wm. McKinley/Ill. Traction System","architectural_style":null,"criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Illinois Power vacated the building in 1985 and it was described as vacant at that time; the exterior is in good condition and largely unaltered, the interior remodelled.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:37.148347-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/18/8918/28891818/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/86003782.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86003782/48caa42e1a-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86003782/48caa42e1a-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0 us","author":"Dori","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illinois_Traction_Station_Champaign_Illinois_4162.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Dori</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/deed.en\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0 us</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illinois_Traction_Station_Champaign_Illinois_4162.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28891818","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Traction_Building","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18152507"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/champaign-county/illinois-traction-building-86003782/"}