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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: John P. Curley, Chief Development Services Officer
DATE: February 9, 2024
SUBJECT:
Requesting approval of a demolition and remediation contract with American Demolition of Carol Stream IL for the former YMCA structures at 460-480 Garfield Av. 60506 (15-21-406-021) in Ward #4.
PURPOSE:
After City condemnation of the former YMCA structure in August of 2019, the current owner has failed to remediate violations nor continuously secure the building. As a result, the city pursued a demolition suit with the owner in Circuit Court. Through this court action the city has now been granted the ability to demolish the unsafe and frequently unsecured building.
An RFP was issued by the City of Aurora in late December of 2023, as a result we are recommending contracting with American Demolition of Carol Stream IL.
That 'not to exceed' contract is for $1,482,390.00 and 160 days to complete, the final contract is subject to legal reviews.
BACKGROUND:
Staff has found cause to open more than 40 violation cases at this property in the past decade. After a fire damaged the electrical and fire safety systems at the building preventing re-occupancy of the building, it was condemned in August of 2019. At least 7 times since, the building has been found to have been broken into and occupied unsafely, placing our emergency responders in danger. After a circuit court order had granted the City of Aurora the ability to demolish the building, we authored an RFP for the demolition in December of 2023.
The building's basements are currently full of water due to the underground spring that original YMCA construction exposed and has continuously pumped out. A June 2019 pump failure allowed the basement to fill with water which led to the fire which caused the condemnation of the building. Unfortunately, this standing water and the underground spring precludes us from the abatement assessment that is required prior to the basement aba...
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