City Will Demolish Two Vacant Structures

A house that has stood vacant since 2007 and a garage that leans will soon be demolished, after the on Tuesday, Sept. 27 signed off on nearly $10,000 in budget adjustments to cover the demolition.

The house, at 15423 Kilpatrick Ave., has been declared structurally unsound and has drawn numerous complaints, said Building Commissioner Gary Gerdes. The garage, located at 16001 S. Lorel Ave., is decayed and leaning, creating a hazard for those nearby, Gerdes said.

Total cost of both projects are estimated at $9,550, with the lowest bid made by Hayes Construction, Gerdes said. The house is "abandoned, vacant and structurally unsound," Gerdes told the aldermen in explaining why the structure needs to be destroyed.

"This is the exception, not the rule," Gerdes said. "Nothing is salvageable.”

The Building Department contacted the owner of the house in November 2010, and the owner indicated he had no plans of rehabbing the structure, according to reports. 

Sufficient funds are available for the demolition, as the city has collected $34,000 in nuisance property charges, and has spent $6,000 since May 1, 2011.

Once the house is torn down, the city will place a lien on the property, which has been deemed to be in a flood plain and unsuitable for construction. The city can then foreclose on the lien. Finance Director Colleen Julian said the city will still most likely lose money.

"The likelihood of us collecting on this lien ... is unlikely," Julian said.

Both properties required a 30-day response period for objections to be filed. Owners of both properties did not respond.

The garage is close to collapse, Gerdes said, after the summer's strong storms. Illinois Municipal Code allows for fast-track demolition on vacant, hazardous structures. Hayes Construction will also be responsible for the demolition of the garage.

Demolition on the garage is expected to begin within a few weeks. Demolition on the house could take as many as six to eight weeks.