Article originally published on Central Illinois Proud website on October 5th, 2023
Set to open in November of 2024, the Tangled Roots Brewpub and Restaurant is what Washington officials hope makes the city a destination for those looking for a night out.
A ground-breaking event was held Thursday morning, which brought together several key participants in the development of the project. The hope for city officials, such as Mayor Gary Manier, is that the brewpub boosts the Washington economy.
“I think you’re going to see people from the entire region, Bloomington-Normal and Peoria, maybe as far as the Quad Cities,” Manier continues, “We’ve got a beautiful downtown square and now we’ve got a chance to show it off even more.”
The project is in the $8-9 million range and is spearheaded by CL Real Estate Development. CEO Nathan Watson said the idea for the project dates back to 2019.
He believes Washington is the perfect spot for a development such as this.
“Washington is ripe for a great downtown brewpub and restaurant venue,” Watson continues, “It’s got a great population and the surrounding area is in a similar situation where they’re looking for good places to dine.”
The project has also run into some hiccups along the way. An adjacent building owner could end up in court with the developers again, as they claim crews damaged their building during demolition.
The building owner’s lawyer, Brian Mooty, says his client expected damages to occur, but they thought the developers would fix the issue.
Mooty said his client had tried to enter into an agreement with the developers to stave off possible court action beyond the initial filing of a lawsuit. However, that agreement remains unsigned and the attorney spoke at a recent Washington City Council meeting where he hinted that further legal action might be taken.
Watson says workers will repair damages to adjacent buildings and they remain in communication with those buildings.
In addition to the brewpub and restaurant on the first floor, residential units, and a rooftop beer garden will overlook the downtown square. When completed, the brewpub will be the largest private investment in downtown Washington in at least a century.