Mega Mall is being slowly dismantled from Logan Square history

Posted on December 28, 2016 by danieldschell

That’s demolition-by-Sawzall, for now.

If nothing else, the graffiti will be missed.

Mega Mall, the long-time Logan Square institution on the 2500-block of North Milwaukee Avenue, is on its way into oblivion. Permitted for demolition earlier this month, the structure, which at this point may well be held together by the same street art that covers its walls, will be removed for a major mixed-use development from Terraco, Inc. of Wilmette. Albrecht Enterprises in named on the demo permit as the destructor.

: Full disclosure: Mega Mall in *not* “NOW OPEN”

Demolition Update: 7-story Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion reduced to 6

Posted on December 23, 2016 by danieldschell

Just beyond the carnage of the old Children’s Memorial Hospital, the Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion undergoes the same fate.

The Nellie A. Black Pavilion at 700 West Fullerton Parkway in Lincoln Park — the former 7-story brick building being removed to make room for a new 7-story brick building — is now closer to 6.1 floors, as demolition crews from American Demolition have begun the slow, painstaking process of bringing the structure down without harming buildings to the west and north, mere inches away. In its place will be a senior living center from Belmont Village.

: There are a tremendous number of vehicles *on…

: …and *in the Nellie A. Black Pavilion.

: Right up against it.

: I’m likely not allowed to climb that ladder. This doesn’t upset me.

Demolitions continue around the old Children’s Memorial Hospital

Posted on December 8, 2016 by danieldschell

Remnants of the White Elephant Resale Shop at 2375 North Lincoln Avenue.

It isn’t just Children’s Memorial Hospital being erased from Lincoln Park memory. Adjacent buildings on Lincoln Avenue and Fullerton Parkway have also been doomed to the wrecking ball as well, in addition to a couple structures within the triangular block where the hospital stood. Those include the Martha Wilson Memorial Pavilion at 701 West Fullerton, and what you may have known as the White Elephant Resale Shop at 2375 North Lincoln.

A Hines McCaffery Interests rendering, which seems to show the White Elephant building remaining.

You aren’t alone if you thought the White Elephant building was to be saved. Renderings of The Lincoln Common show the building in place, so many of us were thrown off by its demise. According to DNAInfo, it was to be saved, or reconstructed, or maybe it will still be recreated as a brand-new structure. Whichever way, it’s rubble now. As for the Wilson Pavilion, that’s nothing but a hole in the earth now.

Children's Memorial Hospital demolitions

2350 and 2356 North Lincoln Avenue, prior to demolition. They’re both gone now.

Over on Lincoln Avenue, 2350 and 2356 were permitted for demolition in September, and 2358 a partial demolition, with the Lincoln Avenue facade to be saved, in early October. The former two structures are gone. 2358, of course, will take more time and care to bring down.

Finally, the Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion, at 700 West Fullerton, built in the late 1920s according to Preservation Chicago, which American Demolition started tearing into last month. Unrelated to The Lincoln Common, to will be replaced by a similarly-styled 7-story brick building to be used as a senior living facility.

The Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion demolition is underway.

: Gaping holes in the Nellia A. Black memorial Pavilion.

: You used to be able to see the White Elephant Resale Shop here.

: But it’s gone now.

: The power plant is also expected to remain. Time will tell.

: Faint reminders of the Martha Wilson Memorial Pavilion.

: Looking past the remains of the Martha Wilson Pavilion to the remains of the White Elephant shop.

: The facade of 2358 North Lincoln Avenue, which will be saved.

: Early demolition work of 2350 and 2356 North Lincoln Avenue…

: …and the gap where they once stood.

Tearing down West Randolph Street

Posted on December 7, 2016 by danieldschell

Jessica Alba’s billboard is still around. 729-735 West Randolph? Not so much.

Not all of it, of course. There are a few restaurateurs who’d fight that plan.

Specifically, we’re talking about 723-733 West Randolph. The building marked 735 doesn’t have a demolition permit that I’ve been able to find, but that could just be someone putting the wrong numbers on the front door. Either way, it’s mostly rubble now. Making the space is the ever-reliable Heneghan Wrecking.

: Above and behind the destruction.

: 735 is an ugly building, but it looked for a while like it would be spared the wrecking ball. Newp.

: Kennedy-side rubble.

Old 7-story brick building in Lincoln Park to be demolished for 7-story brick building

Posted on November 8, 2016 by danieldschell

Scaffolding has been erected on the east facade of the Nellie A. Black Pavilion.

On the final day of October, the City of Chicago issued a demolition permit for the Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion, at 700 West Fullerton Parkway in Lincoln Park. Built in the 1932, it made Preservation Chicago’s “Chicago 7” list in 2016, along with its neighbor across the street, the Martha Wilson Memorial Pavilion. That building is already rubble, along with most of the old Children’s Memorial Hospital.

The rendering from Crain’s Chicago’s story of the new Belmont Village Senior Living building. Look familiar?

Crain’s Chicago posted back in June that Chicago-based Harrison Street Capital and Houston-based Belmont Village Senior Living bought the building, with the intent of constructing a senior-living facility on the site. The rendering Crain’s included in the story, seen to the right, looks remarkably similar to the Nellie Black Pavilion. I could be oversimplifying things, but maybe that 80-year-old edifice could have been re-purposed for the senior living project? Eh, what do I know.

Monday, workers were constructing scaffolding on the facade. Expect dust and pallets of used bricks to follow shortly. American Demolition will do the dirty work.

: Children’s Memorial Hospital demolition. That’s the Nellie Black Pavilion on the right.

: 710 West Fullerton is the same building as 700.

: The Martha Wilson Memorial Pavilion has already been demolished.

Demolition underway at former Park View Lutheran Church and School (updated**)

Posted on October 21, 2016 by danieldschell

The former Park View Lutheran Church, currently being demolished in Irving Park.

There are four new single-family homes coming to the Irving Park neighborhood, as demolition crews have already begun demolishing the Park View Lutheran Church & School that stood on the site. Most of the school is already gone; the church, built in 1929, hasn’t been started yet. But it will vanish soon as well.

The parish house at 3921 North Monticello. Will it be saved?

In its place will be four new single-family homes from MK Construction & Builders of 2000 North Milwaukee Avenue. MK’s website touts 3400-3800-square-foot, 2-story masonry structures. There have been four building permits on file with the city since July and August, showing that each home will include a two-car garage. MK Construction will act as its own general contractor. The homes are designed by Pro-Plan Architects of Streamwood, IL.

At 3921 North Monticello stands a parish house connected to the church. A demolition permit issued in August included 3913 through 3921 to be demolished, but the latest demo permit names only for 3913. No response yet from MK Construction as to whether or not 3921 will be saved or destroyed.

This rendering from MK Construction & Builders shows the homes coming to 3913-3919 North Monticello.

Nothing stirs the emotions like demolition of an old church, and since I was told I couldn’t take or post any photos of this demolition, here’s a huge gallery of them, because get over yourself, dude.

** I received an email this morning from the marketing director at MK Construction, who informs me 3921 will NOT be demolished.

Two more buildings added to Lincoln Common demolition plan

Posted on October 3, 2016 by danieldschell

2350 and 2356 North Lincoln Avenue, permitted for demolition to make room for Lincoln Common.

They don’t carry quite the glamour Children’s Memorial Hospital has garnered during demolition, but two more buildings along North Lincoln Avenue were slated for destruction last week, as the Lincoln Common project moves along in Lincoln Park.

The pair being torn down next are 2350 and 2356 North Lincoln. The City of Chicago filed demolition permits for each structure on September 28. McDonagh Demolition will do the honors, according to those permits.

: This rendering from McCaffery Interests shows the building that will replace and North Lincoln Avenue.

: The demo permit for 2350 North Lincoln Avenue.

: The demo permit for 2356 North Lincoln Avenue,

: 2356 North Lincoln Avenue.

: 2350 North Lincoln Avenue.

: Meanwhile, demolition of Children’s Memorial Hospital continues.

Doom and destruction on North Avenue

Posted on September 30, 2016 by danieldschell

They are ripping apart a couple buildings in Old Town to make room for a new apartment development.

Crain’s had the story back in April about the two properties, 227 and 233 West North Avenue, that will be replaced by a 6-story, 60-unit rental building from JAB Real Estate. According to Crain’s, the project also includes 20 parking spots and 2,000 square feet of retail space.

https://twitter.com/thedanielschell/status/781711121527009280

For the time being, KCOM Environmental of Fort Wayne, Indiana (don’t be fooled by the address on the demolition permit. It says Chicago, but that’s a Fort Wayne address and zip code) has the task of tearing down the old structures and clearing space for the new, illustrated here with the video above, and the photos below.

: This is 233 West North Avenue, the first of the two buildings to fall.

: See?

: 227 West North Avenue will go next.

: 227 West North Avenue, looking south down North Wieland.

: Looking north up North Wieland.

: The 227 West North Avenue demolition permit.

: The 231 West North Avenue demolition permit.

: That address should be Fort Wayne, IN, not Chicago.

Another Chicago water tank has been doomed by a demolition permit

Posted on September 29, 2016 by danieldschell

The doomed tank atop 1500 North Halsted Street in Goose Island.

Wednesday, a demolition permit was filed by the City of Chicago, spelling doom for yet anther Chicago Water Tank, this one at 1500 North Halsted Street in the Goose Island neighborhood.

You’ve noticed this tank every time you’ve passed through the S-curves over North Avenue on the Brown and Purple Line trains, between the Sedgwick and Armitage stops. And if you’re living in or visiting the New City development, you’re right next door to it. But not for much longer.

Milburn LLC of Hillside, Illinois will do the dirty work of demolishing the tank.

The Demolition Permit

As Children’s Hospital disappears, are the rats appearing?

Posted on September 15, 2016 by danieldschell

No rats visible in this view of Children’s Memorial Hospital demolition, from atop the John Hancock Center.

Back in the spring, everyone (Crain’s, Trib, DNAInfo, to name a few) with access to a pen and paper wrote of the impending influx of rats in the Lincoln Park neighborhood once demolition of Children’s Memorial Hospital began.

Well, demolition is in full swing, and it occurs to me I haven’t heard anything at all about rats over the past couple months. So, to you, denizens of Lincoln Park, I ask: Are you seeing more rats, or signs of more rats, than you’d seen before demolition began?

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