It's Your Business | Champaign's renovated Skelton Park taking shape

Mar. 3—Email business news to Jana Wiersema at jwiersema@news-gazette.com.

.

Heritage Trail continues work at Skelton Park, seeks muralists

A newly renovated Skelton Park could be open by early spring, according to an estimate from Tom Oravec, Community Development Manager for Experience Champaign-Urbana.

The visitors' bureau is one of multiple partners involved in the project, which is part of the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail and will pay tribute to the community's African American musicians.

Oravec said that the renovations to the park are going well.

"The construction crew, they're making progress incrementally, putting up lighting fixtures, doing some of the final grading, some of the final work that needs to be done," he said.

When asked if they still plan to dedicate the park this summer, he replied, "That's definitely the hope."

However, he added that this will depend on how construction goes.

In addition to the work at Skelton Park, the Heritage Trail is also working on other projects, including finding muralists for five sites in Champaign County, Oravec said.

More information, including an application link for muralists, is available on the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail Facebook page. The deadline to apply is March 15.

The project is being funded by the Experience Champaign-Urbana Foundation and a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Oravec said he could not disclose most of the locations at this time, as the details are still being finalized with property owners.

However, he was able to share that the Housing Authority of Champaign County has given its permission for a mural installation at the Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center. The Heritage Trail is also working with Fairlawn Real Estate on sites for the project.

40 North is a major partner in this initiative and will take the lead on accepting portfolios and reviewing submissions, Oravec said.

"We're hoping that (the murals) will be up by or in September, if not sooner," he said. "Some of that is going to depend based on the individual artists that are chosen. This is a national call, so they may be local. They may be out of state. ... We really want to have them up summer or early fall at the latest, while the weather is good."

A startup founded by a U of I grad student recently had success swimming with the sharks.

PSYONIC, which creates bionic prosthetics, appeared in a recent episode of ABC's "Shark Tank" on Feb. 23. Lori Greiner, Daymond John, and Kevin O'Leary are offering to split a $1 million investment for the equivalent of six percent of the company, PSYONIC shared in a release.

Negotiations are ongoing, with CEO and founder Aadeel Akhtar saying that the company wants to protect its valuation and investors.

"It was kind of intense, the back and forth between the sharks," Akhtar said in a previous interview. "And I watched a ton of episodes prior to this just in preparation for it, but you never know what they're going to ask."

Sweet success

Treehive Meadery of Brocton won three awards at the Valkyries Horn Mead Competition in Minnesota last weekend. According to owner Corey Mason, the business took first place in the melomels and pyments, as well as third place in the fruit and spice category.

"It feels great," Mason said. "It helps me just confirm that I'm making good mead."

Insomnia Cookies sets up shop near EIU

Insomnia Cookies' new location at 315 Lincoln Ave, Suite 200, in Charleston is now open.

According to a release, today marks the store's grand opening, and the festivities include an all-day event and late-night celebration "baked full of freebies, treats and more."

15% of today's in-store sales from noon to 3 a.m. will be donated to the Standing Stone Community Center.

The new bakery, located near Eastern Illinois University, is the brand's 14th store in Illinois and its 272nd location nationwide.

Smitty's up and running

Closer to home, the new Smitty's Car Wash at 1703 S. Neil St. in Champaign opened on Friday and is offering specials in celebration, said general manager Brandon Koeberlein.

"I think the car wash quality is going to speak for itself," he added.

Soundstages set for take-off at Chanute

Champaign County business Flyover Film Studios, LLC has been awarded $1.1 million from the Illinois Soundstage Capital Grant Program.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced $10 million in grant awards from the program on Wednesday.

Flyover plans to develop multiple soundstages in Rantoul, per a release from Experience Champaign-Urbana. The stages will be developed in the space known as "Hangar One" in the former Chanute Air Force Base.

Flyover Film Studios was founded by local filmmakers from Shatterglass Films, The Line Film Company and Dustin Hoke Services. According to the visitors' bureau, the team has been working behind the scenes on this project since spring of 2022.

"This is a big step towards developing Champaign County as a filming destination," said Jennifer Shelby, co-founder of Shatterglass Films.

Flyover intends to operate as a sustainable, full-service production studio by fall of 2026.

"With the announcement of this award and the upcoming securities offering they are doing under the guidance of Red Rock Securities Law Firm, they are poised to begin construction of the first of two 50,000 sq. ft. soundstages," Experience Champaign-Urbana officials said. "They will also add additional mill space and lock up for crew gear."