Pillar of downtown Bartlett poised to fall
One of the oldest buildings in downtown Bartlett, whose operational life ended with the closing of Lucky Jacks Neighborhood Bar & Grill in 2012, soon will be only a memory.
Village officials, who acquired the building at 121 Railroad Ave. by having it declared abandoned in court, expect to award contracts for its demolition on Tuesday.
Franklin Park-based Husar Abatement Ltd. was the low bidder for asbestos removal at $12,460, while Delta Demolition of Chicago was the low bidder for the demolition itself at $39,000.
Deigan and Associates of Lake Bluff is expected to continue in its existing role as manager of the project under a $11,500 contract.
Though once considered by some to be worth preserving for its historic contribution to Bartlett, the building's estimated $400,000 rehabilitation cost due to its severe deterioration was ultimately determined to be prohibitive, village officials said.
"It started out as a general store and was a store for many incarnations," Community Development Director Jim Plonczynski said.
One of those stores was Banbury Fair, now located at nearby 211 Railroad Ave.
Constructed in the 1870s, the Lucky Jacks building also doubled for a time as a post office until 1908.
Some residents still know the building as the "Eck," a popular spot for Friday night fish frys, that lasted from 1944 to the late 1980s. The name - German for "corner" - derived from its prominent location at the intersection of Oak and Railroad avenues.
Plonczynski said he's been in Bartlett 25 years and the building's been known as Lucky Jacks that entire time. It was especially popular with college-age residents home from school, he added.
Lucky Jacks closed six years ago, just after its liquor license expired without being renewed. Plonczynski said the end of the business seemed to have more to do with internal ownership issues than any waning of its popularity.
The building has been considered completely abandoned for three years, which was the key to the village's acquiring ownership of it through a lawsuit.
"Since I've been running people through there to look at it, I never believed it would open again," Plonczynski said.
Village Attorney Bryan Mraz said Bartlett paid no money for the property other than the litigation costs, and as owner will have control over its potential future sale and redevelopment.
Officials would like any future building to match the architectural style of the downtown, whether entirely new or as an expansion of the building next door.
Landscaping the site with grass or using it for parking are ways of keeping the vacant corner from looking too out of place, officials said.
"We would like it to be redeveloped as soon as possible," Plonczynski said. "We wouldn't want it to stay vacant for too long."