101 South Neil Street - Faulkner Building

Constructed: Before 1902 

Razed: mid 1980s

The 1902 Sandborn Map below shows the Faulkner Drug Store at the southwest corner of Neil Street and University Avenue. At this time the building was also connected to a neighboring single family home that had been converted to the "Home Hotel" (Note Neil Street is mislabeled on the map as New Street).

This is one of the earliest photographs identified and was taken in 1902. Although the quality is very poor, you can make out University Avenue and the remaining single family homes. The Faulkner Building is near the middle of the photo. You can also make out 102 South Neil Street which today is four stories but at the time was only two. It is the building with the pyramidal cornice. The photo is depicting the Swearinger Mortuary and their fleet of horse drawn hearse.

By 1909 more buildings were constructed along Neil Street including the neighboring building (to the south) at 105 South Neil Street. You can also note the Empire Steam Laundry had set up shop four door to the south of the building.

By 1915, the Empire Steam Laundry had constructed a new building immediately to the west of the Faulkner Building.

Here is the Empire Laundry Building (109 West University Avenue) with the western edge of the Faulkner Building present to the left.

The Faulkner Building is seen here in the early 1920s. By this time, Faulkners Drug Store was sharing a space with Diamond Tires and Tubes.

The aerial below shows the entire eastern side of the block prior to the construction of Christie Clinic at the corner of Clark and Neil Street.

This aerial view of the intersection of Neil and University in the 1940's shows the drug store sitting prominently on the southwest corner.

By the 1970's the building housed the Armed Forces Recruitment Center.

By the 1980's the building was vacant. At this time, Christie Clinic began plans to expand their clinic and more parking spaces were needed to meet their expansion needs.

The entire block bounded University Avenue, Neil Street, Clark Street, and Randolph Street would fall to make way for the expansion.

All six of these Neil Street buildings would be razed for the Christie expansion and parking lot.

The University Avenue facade of the Faulkner Building before demolition.

The Faulkner Building being razed as seen from the City Building looking southwest.

The final pieces of the building coming down.

Today, Christie Clinic is a major employers and contributor to the Downtown economy. The entire block is now owned by Christie Clinic for the flagship Downtown clinic.

Photo Credits: Google, Champaign County History Museum, Champaign County Archives at the Urbana Free Library, City of Champaign and T.J. Blakeman.