A building for a buck, but there's a catch... of course

The village of Mount Prospect is selling two buildings for $1 each, but you'll have to move them yourself.

Property at 16 W. Northwest Hwy., formerly the Meersman Law Offices, and 10 W. Busse Ave., formerly Josie's Barbershop, will be demolished as early as next month if no one comes forward, village officials said.

And so far, no one has, said Dave Strahl, assistant village manager.

The village has a tentative agreement with Barrington Hills-based Langos Corp. to demolish the buildings for no more than $13,000, he said.

Still, it's not too late.

If someone comes forward to buy the buildings and pay for the removal, then the contract wouldn't be signed. "It's on hold for now if someone comes forward," Stahl said.

But the village won't wait indefinitely since the buildings must be demolished in the first part of the year, he said.

If someone decides to take the village up on its offer, it won't be the first time a building was moved in Mount Prospect. Last spring, the Mount Prospect Historical Society moved Central School a few blocks, but it cost about $65,000 to do so.

The total cost of the project was about $230,000, a sum it took six years to raise through grants and donations. The 1896 building was Mount Prospect's oldest public structure and the site of many key events in village history.

These buildings also are somewhat historic in Mount Prospect, though less so than Central School.

The building at 16 W. Northwest Hwy. was built before 1900 and was the second home of John Meyn, Mount Prospect's first blacksmith. The property at 30 W. Busse was home to Mount Prospect's first barbershop, Baldini's. It was built in the 1920s, said Gregory Peerbolte, the historical society's executive director.

Last May, the village board approved a plan by Northbrook developer John D. Heimbaugh to build a $40 million town center project on a site that includes the two buildings. It would consist of two seven-story buildings and one five-story building on a 2-acre site downtown. The project would include more than 100 condominiums and between 30,000 and 40,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.

Last April, the village board agreed to purchase the properties from the Meersman family that will be part of the project for $1.275 million and drop eminent domain proceedings. The village also agreed to pay attorney fees and moving expenses for the businesses up to $175,000.

The village still is in the middle of condemnation proceedings against another property at 18 W. Busse Ave., which is owned by Tod Curtis, who runs Ye Olde Town Inn in that space. He and the village have been fighting for a couple of years over alternative visions of how the triangle should be developed.

Anyone interested in moving the buildings should call the village at (847) 392-6000.