Champaign Awarded Facade Grant to Pizzeria Antica

The city has provided funding to help a downtown restaurant renovate its historic 130-year-old building exterior.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Screen-print poster illustration of an aged brick building facade with an empty arched entryway, representing urban renovation. — The City of Champaign awarded a $25,000 facade improvement grant to Pizzeria Antica to fund repairs on its 130-year-old downtown building. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The City of Champaign has awarded a $25,000 storefront improvement grant to Pizzeria Antica to fund repairs. This funding will support essential renovations to the restaurant's building facade in the downtown district.

Why it matters

The grant aims to address aging infrastructure while boosting the visibility of the restaurant for pedestrians. By improving the appearance of the 130-year-old building, the initiative hopes to support the local business environment.

The city grant provides $25,000 to cover exactly 50% of the total renovation costs for the restaurant. The project focuses on a building structure that is approximately 130 years old.

The players

Pizzeria Antica

This restaurant is located in downtown Champaign and serves as a central business in the local community.

City of Champaign

This municipal government administers the Downtown Refresh program to facilitate local business facade improvements.

The details

The renovation project includes significant brickwork repairs and the installation of new exterior lettering. The owner is currently in the process of coordinating with contractors to carry out the planned facade improvements.

The City of Champaign officially awarded the grant to Pizzeria Antica in October 2026.

Market Landscape

This project fits into a broader municipal effort to preserve aging urban architecture while maintaining vibrant commercial districts. Such programs allow local businesses to remain competitive and visually appealing to customers in established downtown cores.

Local residents can expect to see exterior construction activity at the restaurant as brickwork repairs and new signage are installed. These improvements aim to increase the shop's visibility to pedestrians passing through the downtown area.

The takeaway

Maintaining historic storefronts is a key strategy for cities looking to retain the aesthetic character of their business districts. Owners of older buildings can often utilize municipal matching grants to offset the significant costs of necessary structural repairs.