Todd and Rhonda Thornton wanted to start a business in downtown Monticello, and they found an opportunity in a historic red house.
They purchased the house at 315 W. Washington St., commonly known as the “Red House,” which is now being renovated, with the second floor becoming an Airbnb rental and the first floor retail space.
“I’ve seen it for sale and we’ve been wanting to do business in downtown Monticello,” said Todd Thornton, who runs Thornton Home Renovations.
The house—which sat vacant for several years—was built in 1862 and used to be 70 feet east of its present location. It was relocated in 1971, he said.
He has renovated other historic homes, but he said this will be his first historic home project in Monticello.
Thornton said electrical and plumbing upgrades have been done in the house, and work is underway in the upstairs bathroom and downstairs kitchen.
Plans called for the upstairs to be a comfortable space for eight people, including a bedroom and living area with a pull-out sofa, and twin beds in the loft area as an entertainment space for the children. Guests can use the downstairs kitchen, he said.
Plans also include adding a new rear porch on the south side to mimic the front porch, which will be the entrance to the retail space, with parking on the south and west sides of the house.
There are also new bathrooms that will serve the retail space, Thornton said.
While the house needs some modernization, he said, “we’re trying to keep the same feel through the ages and generations.”
He hopes to have the house ready for guests by May 2023.
Thornton said patrons had already had the opportunity to tour the interior of the house during the recent Red Christmas downtown wine walk on Monticello Avenue, and he hopes to hold an open house to show the community next year. Complete the product during the Whites of Spring event.
The house will keep its bright red exterior color but will be repainted sometime next year, Thornton said.
You can follow the progress of the renovations on the Red House Renovations hotel Facebook page.
more in the market
Planet Fitness plans to relocate its Champaign gym next spring from its current location at 2002 Glenn Park Drive to Market Place Plaza near Kohl’s.
The new location, expected to open in April, will be larger at more than 28,000 square feet compared to the current 20,000-square-foot gym, and will feature more equipment and “top service” amenities, spokesman Jake Hietpas said. Hietpas for chains.
On the way to the Market Place mall: a Windsor Fashions store is about to open.
The chain sells gowns, accessories, shoes and other apparel for parties, festivals and special occasions.
Sunnyside rewards loyalty
Cresco Labs has launched a new customer loyalty program called Sunnyside Rewards for its Sunnyside cannabis dispensaries.
Existing Sunnyside customers can sign up on their Sunnyside.shop account page to earn 1 point for every dollar they spend (after discounts, before taxes), up to a maximum of $100 in points per transaction, the company said.
To encourage customers to join, the company is offering a 100-point sign-up bonus for a limited time and double the points on all purchases through Dec. 1. 25.
Sunnyside is also offering a gift of registration at all Illinois locations while supplies last, the company said.
There are Sunnyside Pharmacies locally in Champaign and Danville.
More jobs at Danville Cancer Center
OSF HealthCare has launched the second phase of an expansion project at the OSF Bobette Steely Hegeler Cancer Center in Danville.
The $750,000 project began this month, and patient care will continue at the cancer center during approximately five months of construction.
The second phase involved increasing the number of exam rooms from two to five, with one room larger to accommodate bariatric patients, and equipping each room with new furniture and equipment.
According to OSF, the project also includes relocating patient discharge rooms from the rear of the building to the front, providing new workstations for cancer center staff, and replacing door curtains in three infusion rooms to increase privacy.
The first phase includes a new state-of-the-art linear accelerator for radiation therapy, and OSF leaders hope to launch a third phase within a few years to expand the cancer center’s physical footprint to provide new services and amenities.