Rockford to demolish Lorden building as part of $6M plan to improve Davis Park

By: Jeff Kolkey

Rockford Register Star

ROCKFORD — City officials have approved the $1.4 million demolition of the Lorden building, 320 S. Wyman St., as Rockford embarks on a more than $6 million master plan to improve Davis Park.

City and tourism officials hope the investment transforms an underutilized asset into a central hub of activity, fun and entertainment in the heart of downtown Rockford.

Some historic preservationists have objected to demolishing the building. Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said that although the city is one of the most prolific user of historic tax credits in Illinois, a request for proposals process revealed that redeveloping the building was not financially feasible.

Rockford City Council this week awarded a demolition contract to N-TRAK of Loves Park. It is being paid for from the city’s redevelopment fund which is earmarked for the BMO Harris Bank Center and downtown improvement projects.

A Rockford Register Star reporter since 2005, Jeff Kolkey writes about city government, politics, trends in the Rockford region and more. He is a Rockford resident, a married father of two and a White Sox fan. He can be reached at  (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.