The Elgin, Illinois Heritage Commission's Design Review Subcommittee approved demolition of possible chicken coop and installation of parking lot at a recent meeting.
The owner of 358 S. Liberty St., Alfredo Sanchez, applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Elgin Heritage Commission's Design Review Subcommittee to build a parking lot. The subcommittee reviewed the application at the Nov. 10 meeting. The owner plans to use the new parking lot for the adjacent commercial property at 535 Villa St., which he also owns. While the staff recommends approval, they also provided several recommendations to accommodate Elgin's design guidelines.
The subcommittee also reviewed the application to demolish a secondary structure at 265 Lessenden Place. The site inspection on Oct. 22 indicated that the building may have been a chicken coop. The foundation is damaged and deteriorating, which has compromised the structural integrity of the building. The roof is rotting and sagging. The city has already given the owner, Fox Valley Water Reclamation District, a code violation due to the condition of the building. The owner is required to repair or demolish the structure.
While staff has recommended approving the demolition, they would like neighborhood preservation groups to salvage the windows, old growth wood and other architectural elements. The commission discussed documenting the building before its demolition, including measurements, photos and documentation of the building's details. The subcommittee voted to approve the demolition with the staff's comments regarding documentation.
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