Peoria Station

The Peoria Journal Star is really getting interested in the Detweiller Marina controversy. As there are no restaurants involved, this might be an accidental act of journalism.    Yesterday (May 8, 2026), Peoria's newspaper of record ran a story with a lot investigative research. It revealed that O'Brien Steel and City of Peoria were discussing closure of Caroline Street as far back as August 2023 "with the approval of the Detweiller Playground trust." Tim Herold, a member of the Peoria Park District Board of Trustees, obtained emails between the parties as part of a FOIA request. It says this contradicts statements by O'Brien Steel president J. P. O'Brien.    Herold provided nearly five years of communications between Detweiller and O'Brien regarding plans for expansion. This included expanded administration offices and and a new maintenance building. That information goes back to June 1, 2022. What is most interesting is that closure of Caroline Street re...

Tazewell & Peoria Railroad mainline looking north from Caroline Street on March 22, 2026. Planned steel storage building and new rail siding will be at right. O'Brien Steel Service Co's existing facilities are at left  We now have more information about O'Brien Steel Service Co's expansion plans into Detweiller Marina.  WMBD TV-31 covered it earlier this month when plans were revealed at a Peoria Park District meeting. The TV station posted an update on its website yesterday  after the Sierra Club hosted a meeting with community leaders. The article includes a photo of the plan, and confirms that a new rail siding will be built from the adjacent Tazewell & Peoria Railroad mainline to serve a relocated existing crane system and steel storage area. It isn't clear, however, if this will be enclosed or open. Based on the map, it could be either way.  Unfortunately, controversy appears to be the sole reason for media coverage, and only by one outlet. The Peoria J...