by Melanie Jongsma
LANSING, Ill. (May 20, 2020) – Though Lansing Building Commissioner Zoran Savic did not reach his goal of having nine abandoned residences demolished by the end of 2019, he was glad to see demolition begin in earnest last week. The house at 18040 Burnham Avenue was flattened and removed by KLF Enterprises, and the Village plans to finish the remaining buildings by next week. (A home at 17144 Burnham Avenue had been demolished last fall because it was classified as an emergency and in danger of immediate collapse.)
The demolitions are being funded through two grants totaling $500,000 from the Illinois Housing Development Authority. During their September 17, 2019, meeting, the Village Board approved a resolution to open up bidding for the demolition. The bid from KLF Enterprises was approved at the January 21, 2020, meeting. Banners were placed at the properties in early May to notify the public of the impending demolitions.
In a prepared statement released on May 12, Mayor Eidam explained, “This grant money allows the Village administration and the Board to continue working aggressively with the Building Department to identify abandoned properties for demolition, with the goal of improving the appearance and, more importantly, increasing property values for surrounding residents.”
The remaining properties scheduled for demolition this spring are:
- 2850 Bernice Road
- 17715 Paxton Avenue
- 17946 Oakwood Avenue
- 17922 Burnham Avenue
- 2225 Thornton-Lansing Road
- 2344 183rd Place
- 2903 186th Street
An additional property—3432 Lake Street—was approved at the March 3, 2020, meeting as an addition to the demolitions covered by the IHDA grants, and that building will come down shortly after the others. Asbestos testing must be completed before the building can be cleared for demolition.
