Palatine buys eyesore downtown property, plans to demolish

Palatine leaders plan to demolish a downtown property the village recently acquired after years of litigation.

Village Manager Reid Ottesen said a settlement with the owner of the building at 21 W. Railroad Ave. was recently reached.

The village spent several years wrangling with the owner, Francesca Kenney, over property maintenance issues. The settlement was reached in November.

Ottesen said there are many possible uses, including parking or streetscape enhancements.

The price tag was $75,000, but there will be demolition costs as well. In addition, the village waived fines and paid off back property taxes.

Ottesen said a demolition contract could come before the village council March 16. The work includes removing asbestos from siding and roofing.

There have been safety issues in the past with code violations and even a squatter living upstairs, he said. The dilapidated structure, which once housed a photography store, has boarded-up windows, a failing roof, first-floor floorboards ripped out and other structural issues.

“It looks like it’s going to collapse under its own weight,” Ottesen said.