WOOD RIVER - Tom DeClue III of GRP Wegman and his family are well known for their legacy of community involvement in the Riverbend region.
DeClue has taken an interest in the revitalization of Downtown Wood River and on Monday night at a Wood River City Council meeting with Mark Wadlow purchased the recently burned building at 7 N. Wood River Avenue.
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The Wood River Council accepted the DeClue-Wadlow $1 bid for the building. Wood River Mayor Cheryl Maguire said the developers want to revitalize and preserve what is left of the building. She said goal is to build it into a rooftop restaurant.
Maguire said this is an absolute “win-win” for everyone involved with the building.
“The city had been working with the building owner for almost three years to rectify the building and after the fire, the city was looking at the building and thought it might have to be demolished because of its condition,” Maguire said. “DeClue and Wadlow said rather than tear it down they will try to preserve the original posts of the building and whatever else they can on the first floor. The structural engineer who inspected the building thought the first floor could be saved and it is a viable option to rebuild it. Rather than tear it down, this will be refurbished and an available commercial option for someone. It is good for Downtown Wood River.”
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