DuPage strip club can be razed for road widening

Diamonds doesn't last forever.

A judge ruled Monday that Diamonds Gentlemen's Club near West Chicago must be demolished to make room for a planned widening of North Avenue.

The strip club at the southeast corner of North and Powis Road could be razed as soon as the summer.

DuPage Circuit Judge John Elsner said in a written decision that the state needs to acquire about one-tenth of an acre at the site to install traffic lights and sewer and grade for drainage, making seizure of the property “necessary.”

Elsner also stated the Illinois Department of Transportation “acted in good faith” when it attempted to negotiate with the club's owners to buy the land. He said the existing use of the site wasn't the reason IDOT wanted to acquire part of it.

“We are pleased with the ruling,” said Richard Redmond, special assistant attorney general representing IDOT. “We felt that the judge followed the law.”

Redmond said the next step is to determine how much IDOT will have to pay for the land. IDOT already obtained an appraisal before it made its initial offer to buy the property.

If IDOT and the club's owners can't agree on a final price, that amount will need to be determined by a jury, Redmond said.

The condemnation case was filed in early November by IDOT. It names Diamonds Gentlemen's Club along with On Stage Productions among the defendants.

IDOT officials said the land acquisition is needed for a planned reconstruction of North Avenue. As part of the estimated $37.8 million project, the stretch of North between Kautz Road and Route 59 will be widened from four to six lanes.

“We believe that this is an important project that will improve safety on a congested roadway,” IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell said.

IDOT is planning to seek bids for the construction work in August.

Tree removal, building demolition and other advance work is expected to take place this year. The reconstruction work is slated to begin next year and be completed by 2013.

Jeffrey Gutman, the attorney representing the club, could not be reached for comment.

The strip club has been no stranger to controversy. Last year, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that Diamonds was liable in a 2006 alcohol-related car collision that killed a man from St. Charles and a pregnant woman from Yorkville. John Homatas, a 26-year-old from Wayne, drove away from the club and collided head-on in Kane County with a vehicle driven by April Simmons, 27, killing her and 8-month-old fetus. Homatas' passenger also was killed.

Homatas, who had a blood-alcohol concentration more than twice the legal threshold, plus cocaine and marijuana in his system, was convicted of reckless homicide and is serving a 12-year prison sentence.