Des Plaines officials could go to court to forcibly purchase former bank downtown
Des Plaines officials will try to force the owner of a vacant downtown building to sell the site to the city.
Officials have been trying to negotiate a purchase with the owner of the former bank at 679 Lee St. but haven't reached an agreement, documents indicate.
On Monday, the city council voted to pursue a forced sale. If the owner remains uncooperative, officials can attempt to seize the property in court through eminent domain.
The three-story building occupies the corner of Lee Street and Ellinwood Avenue and contains about 18,400 square feet of space, real estate records indicate.
The Huntington Bank that had been there closed in 2019.
City officials have been focused on revitalizing the downtown area, spending millions to renovate the Des Plaines Theatre and, more recently, working with consultants to develop amenities that could attract more people to the languishing Metropolitan Square.
The council approved the real estate maneuver without discussion or debate as part of its consent agenda during Monday's meeting.