Glen Ellyn parks agree to demolish two homes

Two structures along Lenox Road adjacent to Ackerman Park in Glen Ellyn will be razed in the coming months.

A total of three properties were purchased this year after residents agreed to give the park district $11.9 million to spend on projects last November.

In total, $2.5 million were designated for land acquisition and park officials plan to purchase more land with $1.7 million also approved by voters.

In June, the park district purchased a house at 927 Lenox Road for $295,000. In March, they purchased a home on two lots at 921 Lenox Road for $390,000 and in February officials closed on a house at 931 Lenox Road for $450,000.

A park district employee currently is residing in the property at 921 Lenox. As a result, that home won't be razed as of yet.

The recent purchases have helped increase Ackerman Park by about 2 acres, making it almost a 70-acre area.

Executive Director Cory Atwell thought it was a logical step to raze the structures and transform the areas into green space. He said it would be a waste of money to pay for heat, electricity, maintenance and any damage caused by storms.

Superintendent of Parks Dave Scarmardo said the other two homes are older and are vacant.

"We bought the homes to get the land, not the homes themselves," he said. "They don't really serve a useful purpose to us."

Once decisions have been formally approved, park officials will move forward with tearing down the homes in the coming months, hopefully taking them down before winter. Officials also expect to keep a garage on one of the lots for extra storage and resolve an asbestos problem.

Atwell said all neighbors would be notified before any work begins.