Landmark Joliet fountain permanently shut off

The fountain in the Van Buren Plaza was shut off for summer construction and will not be turned on again.

The downtown Joliet landmark has had its last splash and eventually will be removed completely as a new city square is built and Chicago Street is redesigned.

Preparatory work for the project is underway, which led to the fountain being shut off this summer, said city Public Works Director Greg Ruddy.

Ruddy said the fountain structure itself will remain for now. But continued construction in the area means that water will not flow through it again.

“We’re repairing the vaulted sidewalks at the businesses over there,” Ruddy said. “It’s part of the plaza (city square) project.”

Vaulted sidewalks are a throwback to another era. They provided space beneath the sidewalk where coal used to heat buildings could be delivered and stored. Now, it’s space that can lead to aging sidewalks collapsing. The vaults are being filled in to prevent any collapsible space as the future square is built and Chicago Street is reconstructed.

Detached pipes that connected to the fountain can be seen from the area dug up around it.

A section of the Van Buren Plaza, which was part of Van Buren Street with vaulted sidewalks before the plaza was built, is dug up for the construction that will go around the Crystal Building on the edge of the plaza and take in part of Chicago Street.

Plans for the future square include small water features that are incorporated into planters, but not a prominent fountain that has been the main feature of Van Buren Plaza.

The concrete Van Buren Plaza will be replaced by an area with green space, trees, and gathering places that runs from where Van Buren Plaza exists now to Clinton Street.

The city is still planning the project.

Friday is the last day for the public to comment on the plans for the future square on the city’s website, joliet.gov.

The plan is to have the square and redesigned Chicago Street completed by 2026 so they are ready for the 100th anniversary of historic Route 66, which runs through downtown and is expected to bring more tourists through Joliet. The Rialto Square Theatre, located across Chicago Street from the future square, also will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 1926.

Just what the square will look like will depend on how much the City Council agrees to spend.

The project is expected to cost between $6 million and $10 million. The city has a $3 million state grant, which it has matched with its own $3 million.

Community Development Director Eva-Marie Tropper said staff has set “a target date” for a finalized design to be brought to the council for approval in September.

Tropper will provide an update on the project to the council whet it meets on Monday.