PEORIA, Ill. – The Riverview Plaza in downtown Peoria is still closed a week after a huge water leak damaged the building’s fire protection system.
Last Thursday, a water main pipe broke, sending a deluge of water through the building at 411 Hamilton Boulevard, damaging the sprinklers and fire alarms.
The Peoria Fire Department responded shortly after 4 p.m., and city officials closed the building, leaving ten businesses locked out.
(Will Stevenson/1470 & 100.3 WMBD)
Cusack and Gilfillan attorney Shaun Cusack is one of the building’s tenants that had to leave the building on Thursday. He tells 25 News, he saw this coming.
“In the last year and a half, elevators were in and out, stuff like that,” Cusack said. “A little bit of water in the main floor, not in our offices. It wasn’t like it was a shock.”
Peoria Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger says the building is dangerous without a fire protection system, and because the building is old, built in 1967, the system needs to be assessed before repairs can be done.
Owners of Riverview Plaza will not be allowed to reopen the building without fixing the system first.
“We know that work has not started yet. It’s Wednesday, we fully anticipated that work would start by Monday,” Sollberger says. “I can’t imagine with new ownership, they just acquired the building, that they’re going to make every effort to get this building open.”
Tenants of the Riverview Plaza Building are allowed back in between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., but only to grab things they need. Cusack says the owners claim they’re going to open “in a week or so,” but he has his doubts and is looking for other office space in town.
“We really like being here, especially with the type of work we do. I walk across the street to the courthouse. The location is perfect for us,” Cusack said. “So, on that end I hope it does [open], but am I optimistic? Not really.”
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