Vecino Group to remove prominent mural on McDaniel building

The company behind the redevelopment of the McDaniel property downtown plans to remove a prominent mural on the building's east side facing South Jefferson Avenue.

The colorful mural depicting downtown life was created by Ellen Schaeffer around 2000 with funding by the Junior League of Springfield, said Rick Manzardo, president of McDaniel redeveloper The Vecino Group. He said the developer engaged in discussions with Schaeffer and other parties to determine the best course of action for the decaying mural, and the consensus was it couldn't be saved.

"It's so far gone. It's really not feasible to save it," Manzardo said this morning. "It's basically not salvageable at this point, which is unfortunate."

He said the company would likely remove the mural during the last weekend of this month. According to the Vecino Group, the mural was unsalvageable because the bricks it was painted on were not properly conditioned prior to painting, and weather exposure also played a part during the years.

Manzardo said the Vecino Group has left the door open for a new mural to be painted once the bricks have been properly conditioned and the renovation project is completed. The company will commemorate the painting with a plaque recognizing Schaeffer, Junior League and other funders, and arts organizations.

Vecino Group is redeveloping the McDaniel building into a $7 million student housing complex dubbed The U. The 39-unit complex is expected to be completed by August, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.[[In-content Ad]]