RANTOUL — A little over 35 years ago, John-Paul Buzard moved his organ-building and -restoration business out of his basement and into the former Women’s Town Club hotel building at 112 W. Hill St. in downtown Champaign.
He plans to make another big move later this year: consolidating all of their operations, including those at Hill Street and another property on North Hickory Street, into a new 45,000-square-foot facility that will be built at 700 Veterans Parkway in Rantoul.
“The buildings at Hill and Hickory Streets have served us well for a long time, but we’ve simply outgrown them,” Buzard said. “It’s always been my goal to find a place which we can all be together under one roof. This goal has always eluded us, but now we have made it.”
Buzard Pipe Organ Builders and Rantoul Warehouse Group held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility building Thursday afternoon. Representatives from the village of Rantoul, including Village Administrator Scott Eisenhauer, were also present.
The Rantoul Village Board previously voted in November to approve a $400,000 revolving loan for the project, along with a $40,000 Community Development Block Grant.
According to a report from village planner Chris Milliken, Rantoul Warehouse Group will build and own the facility, with Buzard Pipe Organ Builders entering into a long-term lease at the location.
Juan Torrente with Rantoul Warehouse Group said they expect construction on the estimated $2.5 million project to be complete by July 1.
“It’s going to be a very beautiful building,” he said.
Buzard’s company has said that the new, expansive facility will enable it to hire more employees and work in spaces specially made for the unique needs of its practice, which has clients nationwide.
At the groundbreaking, he said in addition to increasing efficiency, having all of the operations at one location will help his business “regain, nurture and grow our family-style culture.”
He added that it’s a testament to his team that they have “produced some of the world’s finest pipe organs” within the limits of “inadequate facilities.”