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Two historic downtown Des Plaines buildings up for auction

Two historic buildings in downtown Des Plaines are on the auction block.

The 93-year-old former Des Plaines Masonic Temple building — perhaps the oldest downtown building — is home to the 244-seat Leela Arts Center live theater, a banquet facility, eight storefronts, five apartments and office space. It's located on the northwest corner of Lee and Miner streets.

And across the Metra tracks at 1575 W. Ellinwood St. sits the former Oliveti's Italian Restaurant, two second-floor apartments, and a nearby warehouse currently leased to a construction company.

Both properties are being auctioned by Northbrook-based Hilco Real Estate. Those interested in either property can conduct on-site inspections Oct. 30, Nov. 6, or Nov. 13. Sealed bids are due Nov. 20, and the property owners will have five business days to review bids and decide whether to accept offers, according to Hilco's marketing brochures.

Hilco officials and both property owners didn't respond or couldn't be reached.

The former Masonic temple was purchased for $2.1 million in February 2007, according to Daily Herald archives.

Not long after, city officials began exploring the possibility of buying the building and nearby Choo-Choo restaurant for a new police station, but later dropped those plans.

Lawyers at the Chelin Law Group, which has leased a storefront in the building since 1985, said Tuesday they hoped to stay, no matter who the new owner might become.

An employee at Pop O Licious, a popcorn shop, said that store's owners don't plan to go anywhere.

The building's leased space — including storefronts, apartments, theater and offices — results in annual gross rental revenue of $242,000, according to Hilco.

George Sakas, Des Plaines' director of community and economic development, said because of that steady stream of rental revenue, “I would assume someone would buy it to use it as it is.”

Built it 1924 by Des Plaines Masonic Lodge 890, the 3-story beaux arts style building was used by the Masons and other fraternal organizations in its early days. At times, it housed a post office, two church congregations, YMCA classes, the Army Reserve during World War II, and was the first home to the Choo-Choo restaurant, according to a history penned by Brian Wolf, a local historic preservationist.

The Des Plaines Theatre Guild called the building home from 1963 to 1992, and it later housed other theater groups, including The Guild Playhouse, Bog Theatre and Stage One Productions, according to Wolf.

The building housing the former Oliveti's also has some historical significance. Wolf's records indicate it was built prior to 1924 and is the only old building left on the block.

But that's also made it difficult to market to prospective restaurateurs, who are increasingly seeking newer spaces for food preparation, Sakas said.

“It's quaint, but it's pushing the envelope of its functional life span,” he said.

Oliveti's closed in 2012 in the midst of the recession, after some 20 years in business.

  A building that formerly housed Olivetti's restaurant on Ellinwood Street in Des Plaines will be auctioned off next month. Christopher Placek/cplacek@dailyherald.com
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