Demolition ahead for abandoned Hoffman Estates barn, silo

Hoffman Estates residents tired of seeing the dilapidated old barn and silo on the north side of Shoe Factory Road will be pleased to hear the structures are being demolished within the next two to three weeks.

Peter Gugliotta, the village’s director of planning, said the abandoned structures — often described as an “eyesore” by residents — likely were built on farmland near White Oak Drive prior to the Hoffman Estate’s incorporation in 1959.

Graffiti is an issue at the site, and there are concerns they may attract problems like illegal dumping, Gugliotta said. Cases of squatters and kids gathering on the property occurred more often when a farmhouse still existed near the barn and silo, but that burned down a few years ago.

The land was zoned for commercial and residential development in 2005, and the structures were expected to be removed to make room for the businesses and homes, Gugliotta said. But the economic downturn brought the homebuilding plan to a halt and the commercial property owner lost the land through foreclosure.

Gugliotta said for the past few years, the village has worked to get demolition permits, which were finally issued this week. Ryland Homes, which owns the land zoned for residential development, has agreed to pay for the demolition, he said, adding it will not cost the village anything.

“Then it will be out of the way and the land will be available for development in the future,” he said. “This does not mean that something is going to be built right now. It’s just to get rid of that attractive nuisance.”