Demolition of Bess Hardware building set to begin
Two large dumpsters delivered Sunday in Glenview were the first signs of demolition of the former Bess Hardware building, 1850 Glenview Road.
Vacant since 2010, the Village of Glenview purchased the building and the rest of the 0.927-acre site in 2017. This March the village entered into a purchase and sale agreement with The Drake Group to construct a 68-unit mixed-use development on the site.
"Our choice was to spend more money to make it safe from risk of fire, so our obligation as a municipality is to fix it or allow it to be torn down," said Glenview Village President Jim Patterson.
"The developer has already made $25,000 (available) to assign part of his funds to do that, and should he do that (buy the property) he would pay for the entirety of the costs of demolition. It's prudent to move forward with the demolition rather than to pay for any repairs needed to make the building safe."
A board report from early November stated that the village has spent $3,382 the past two years to maintain the building, with an estimated ongoing expense of $10,000 to maintain furnaces plus $18,000 to fix a leaking roof.
The board awarded a contract worth $78,650 to Fowler Services Inc., of Elgin, to complete the demolition, slated to be finished by Dec. 31.
Demolition initially was estimated to cost $50,000, split between $25,000 in Drake escrow funds and the remainder from village money, to be reimbursed by Drake upon the property's closing. However, asbestos was found in floor tile, mastic and roof sealant, boosting the total demolition cost to $78,650 with the village's initial portion to be $53,650.
The 1850 Glenview Road project currently is the subject of a lawsuit filed against the Village of Glenview by The Law Offices of William J. Seitz LLC on behalf of five individuals and two neighboring townhouse associations including the adjacent Station Place Townhomes.
The hearing on the village's motion to dismiss the complaint will be heard in circuit court on Jan. 5.
"Whether the process goes forward or not, the demolition stands alone," Patterson said.
Seitz disagrees.
"The demolition should wait until Drake or some developer actually purchases the property and plans to build," said Seitz, who had also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and injunction against demolition. On Nov. 23 a circuit court ruled in favor of the village.
"There shouldn't be a vacant lot with no building. The demolition and construction should be at the same time. It shouldn't leave a vacant lot. If my lawsuit's successful there'll be no construction, and then you've got a vacant lot," Seitz said.
"The other thing is demolition raises the possibility of damage to Station Place, which is right next door. The village told the court that if they demolish the building that the plaintiffs, namely Station Place, have the right to seek damages (if warranted). Which is true, but who would ever want to be in a position where you seek a damage? That means you have a loss," Seitz said.
The demolition begins with the installation of fencing around the property. Next comes environmental cleanup and removal, and environment testing "hopefully by Friday," said Lynne Stiefel, Glenview communications manager. The building's concrete slab will initially remain as the developer's responsibility.
Following that comes disconnection of the building's electrical, gas and sewer lines, before the building actually is demolished, she said. That will be done, going front to back, by pushing and pulling down walls, no implosion or explosion, she said. She thought actual demolition might start Dec. 21 with conclusion by Dec. 31.
The village will meet with neighbors this week to discuss the demolition.
"They're not going to take anything down without having this meeting first," Stiefel said.
"It's such a vital and key corner to our downtown revitalization plan that, everything else aside, taking down that building will be a positive," she said.