Edwardsville Approves Agreement For Future Arts Center Space

Edwardsville City Council Meeting

EDWARDSVILLE – A historic building in downtown Edwardsville is one step closer to its transformation into the future home of the Edwardsville Arts Center.

Edwardsville City Council members unanimously approved a Professional Services Agreement with Gray Design Group for improvements to 246 North Main Street.

The city announced in October that the former Edwardsville Frozen Foods Building at the site is set for a major renovation into the new Edwardsville Arts Center location. The Arts Center is currently located at 340 Montclaire Ave. in Edwardsville.

“The opportunity to transform this wonderful downtown building, which is next to our historic Wildey Theatre and near a vibrant business mix, is going to be incredibly impactful for the City,” Mayor Art Risavy said in October. “This is a win that will be felt in downtown Edwardsville and beyond, and an exciting prospect for the Edwardsville Arts Center, which has been seeking a permanent site.”

At this week’s City Council meeting, Alderwoman Elizabeth Grant described the “exciting” agreement as the first step towards preparing “the old butcher shop” for renovations, confirming that “the cow is staying” in its prominent position atop the building’s facade.

The project includes the development of a rooftop terrace to be made accessible from the adjacent Wildey Theatre, allowing for “integration with Wildey Theatre operations,” according to a description of the project from Gray Design Group.

The full scope of the project will also include an evaluation of the current building conditions, a design process resulting in a coordinated set of concept drawings, the preparation of a complete construction document package, and more.

Gray Design Group will also prepare the project for public bidding, which is expected to occur in early 2026 with an estimated construction cost of $1,850,000 for this phase of work on the historic building.

A full recording of the Dec. 2, 2025 Edwardsville City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.

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