Four prominent downtown Peoria businesses could soon add outdoor dining

Four businesses in downtown Peoria will be a part of a city-run pilot program aimed at growing outdoor dining options in Peoria's Central Business District.

Ardor Bread and Provisions, Ulrich's Rebellion Room, Kickback on Fulton and the new Neon Bison location have all been selected to participate in the program that will see them get aid from the city in creating an outdoor dining atmosphere.

Peoria will use up to $175,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money to purchase equipment the four restaurants can then use to establish outdoor dining areas.

Ardor would do so on Liberty Street, while Ulrich's and Neon Bison would do so on Main Street. Kickback on Fulton would create outdoor dining space on Fulton Street.

Peoria assistant city manager Kimberly Richardson worked with local urban design company Urbnkind to create and implement the program.

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The outdoor dining experiences will include sidewalk cafes that are expected to be operating by the spring at all four locations. Kickback on Fulton will have 54-feet of perforated metal panels; Ardor will have 83-feet of perforated metal panels; Ulrich's will have 40-feet of perforated metal panels and Neon Bison will have 63-feet of horizontal wood slat panels.

The city will build a 142-foot long pedlet — a type of pedestrian walkway — in the 600 block of Main Street to allow Neon Bison and Ulrich's the proper amount of space. Richardson said the pedlet will be a "game changer" for downtown Peoria.

The vendor for the supplies will be Colorado-based company Modstreet, which specializes in redesigning downtowns.

City councilmembers unanimously supported the idea and applauded it as a major boon for downtown Peoria.

City Councilmeber Chuck Grayeb, whose 2nd District includes downtown Peoria, said business owners involved were "excited and looking forward" to the project.

Councilmember Andre Allen called the project "innovative" and "timely" as the city continues efforts to revitalize downtown.

Richardson said the city will come back to the council in a year with an evaluation of the pilot program and would hope, from there, to make it a permanent and more expansive program that includes more restaurants on Main Street and Jefferson and Adams streets.

Councilmember Bernice Gordon-Young said an extension of the program up Main Street would be "perfect."

More: A list of more than 40 restaurants, shops and cafes that opened in the Peoria area in 2023

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: More outdoor dining coming to downtown Peoria in 2024