The repercussions from the Aug. 27 water main break along Monroe Street in downtown Springfield continue to be felt as businesses seek to recoup losses and move past the day’s events.
The building at the corner of Fifth and Monroe streets received the brunt of the flow of water when a 12-foot section of the underground cast iron pipe burst, causing the street to flood.
The water main broke on the eve of the grand opening for The Bus Stop, a bar and entertainment venue.
“I’ve had some pretty bad things happen throughout my course of living, and I don’t know that I’ve ever been this blindsided,” said Zac Lowman — also known as Vinal Luciano — who is the co-owner of the business.
Lowman, a Springfield native, said he and co-owner Troy Minton began working on remodeling the interior in April when they signed the lease for the space. Following the water damage, they are out the money spent on renovating the interior, plus about $15,000 worth of appliances and inventory.
The basement was flooded with at least five feet of water. Images posted on the business’ Facebook page show water nearly reaching the top of the stairs leading to the basement. The building remains without power since the electrical panels, located in the basement, were ruined.
The Bus Stop has created a GoFundMe to help cover some of its losses, and a fundraiser is being held from 5-10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, at 5th Street GEM, 221 S. Fifth St.
Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase, who represents part of downtown and owns 5th Street GEM, is providing the space for The Bus Stop’s fundraiser.
Purchase said she’s giving the city “grace” as she waits for the city’s plan for recovery, “but I’m also doing my due diligence of things that I would like to bring forward that could help.”
She said she’s helping The Bus Stop, among other businesses, scout out spaces to relocate downtown.
“So, I’m not looking to have another business have to leave for something that was out of their control,” Purchase said, recalling Café Moxo, the popular downtown restaurant that left the city’s center to relocate to the west side following a fire on Adams Street in June 2024.
Commenters on social media have inquired as to why the business can’t rely on its insurance to cover the damage.
Lowman said while the business had liquor liability insurance and business owners’ insurance, it won’t cover the damage “because it came from an outside source,” i.e., water rushing from the city’s water main into the business.
Lowman said the building owner told him that his insurance isn’t covering the building damage for the same reason and that there is around $120,000 in repairs needed, including electrical work.
He said The Bus Stop is the only business near the water main break that remains closed.
Several customers sat in the dining area enjoying their pizza at Joe Gallina’s, 432 E. Monroe St., on Wednesday afternoon and Dumb Records, 418 E. Monroe St., was open for business as well, despite the significant road work that is still underway outside the building.
Dumb Records owner Brian Galecki told Illinois Times he’d rather focus on what’s ahead than discuss any water damage he received, as he ran new inventory through a vinyl record cleaning machine.
The music store’s Facebook page includes a Thursday post dispelling any concerns about whether their upcoming “Goth Night” would be affected by the water main break.
“We plan on having our venue space cleaned up and ready for all of you goths tomorrow night, Don’t let the construction going on outside scare you!” it stated.
Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher met with several of the business owners most impacted by the water main break earlier this week.
Buscher told IT there may be funds available to help through the city’s Office of Planning and Economic Development but was waiting to receive damage estimates from the business owners.
“So, it’s really difficult to put a finger on money until we know what kind of costs are incurred,” she said.
Lowman said city officials were empathetic during the meeting and that he received some forms to fill out, but nothing was promised as far as financial assistance. While he’s hopeful the city will step in with financial support, he’s not counting on it.
What he grapples with is figuring who is being held responsible for the damage.
“I don’t know how it could be nobody’s fault,” he said. “I don’t see how insurance could not cover it, and it would be something that would just be for us to figure out. All we wanted to do was bring another business to downtown Springfield,” Lowman said.
Lowman said the fundraiser will primarily help with covering the cost of replacing the equipment and inventory, but leaves the question of what next.
“Chances are, we’re going to have to relocate, because we don’t really have a place to go back to,” he said.
