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Demolition of Des Plaines replica McDonald's imminent

Demolition of the replica of Ray Kroc's original McDonald's in Des Plaines is imminent, as crews returned Monday to set up fencing and make site preparations in anticipation of the teardown as soon as Tuesday.

Heneghan Wrecking Co., hired by McDonald's to demolish the 32-year-old replica restaurant at 400 Lee St., applied for and received a new demolition permit from the city of Des Plaines, enabling the work to go forward, according to City Manager Mike Bartholomew.

"They could start anytime," he said.

It's unknown why McDonald's - through Heneghan - requested a refund for its original permit and insurance bond in June. That was five months after those documents were issued, and when crews began to dismantle the iconic 62-year-old neon road sign and stripped the tops of the golden arches and main "McDonald's" sign from the replica restaurant.

The Cook County demolition permit for the project was put on hold, Bartholomew said.

McDonald's officials said in July they still planned to follow through with demolition plans, due to the building's location in an oft-flooded area and the difficulty to maintain it. They said they would preserve the original neon sign and artifacts from Kroc's first franchise store somewhere off-site.

After demolition, McDonald's plans to plant grass and donate the land to the city.

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  Workers were making site preparations Monday at the site of Ray Kroc's original McDonald's in Des Plaines, where a 32-year-old replica building is scheduled for demolition as soon as Tuesday. Christopher Placek/cplacek@dailyherald.com
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