'We want to be very intentional': What's next for former Lizzadro Museum site in Elmhurst?

A cultural jewel in Elmhurst for nearly 60 years, the former Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art has a date with the wrecking ball.

The landmark building has been vacant since the museum and its collection of intricately carved jade, Italian mosaics, gemstones, fossils and mineral specimens moved from Wilder Park to a larger home in Oak Brook in 2019.

Resembling a jewel box, the old museum, with its exterior of white marble and columns of black granite, will soon be reduced to rubble. Demolition work, beginning with the interior, is set to begin around Aug. 14.

"Our intention is we're going to get the building down, make the open space available initially, and then it will allow us to consider what could happen there," said Jim Rogers, the park district's executive director.

The museum opened in November 1962 near downtown Elmhurst with a trove of lapidary art collected by founder Joseph Lizzadro. The demolition of the 5,000-square-foot building on the southeast corner of Wilder Park will provide additional green space and future development opportunities, officials say. One possibility is a new amenity in Wilder Park.

"We could potentially look at reconfiguring the parking that serves Wilder Park and the Wilder Mansion. We could look at expanding our horticulture operation that's there at the south end of Wilder Park," Rogers said Thursday. "But a lot of that will be able to be driven by a process that we're in the midst of right now, which is called Elevate Elmhurst Parks."

Officials are asking for community feedback on the future of the museum site in conjunction with "Elevate Elmhurst Parks," an effort to update the district's comprehensive and strategic plan. This week, the district sent out a survey to randomly selected houses in Elmhurst.

"We're garnering lots of feedback about the future of the park district and looking at what type of park amenities might the community want," Rogers said. "What are they looking for in certain parks, what type of enhancements and improvements would the community like to see?"

As part of that process, the district has held focus groups and an open house. Residents who shared their ideas on an interactive map suggested the district replace the Lizzadro site with an outdoor performance pavilion, an outdoor theater-in-the-round or a "Ravinia in the middle of Elmhurst."

"We want to be very intentional and very mindful about what we might do in that space," Rogers said.

Meanwhile, the district expects the demolition process to take about a month. Asbestos abatement was completed earlier this year at a cost of approximately $55,000. The demolition of the museum itself is expected to cost about $85,000.

Under the terms of a 1961 agreement between Elmhurst Park District and the Lizzadro Family Foundation, the building became the district's property once the museum left.

The district hired Dewberry Architects Inc. to assess the structure, and the team found ADA and life-safety issues, noting the roof leaks during heavy rains. Park district commissioners approved the demolition in April.

"Back in 2018, we did a complete examination of the building, and at that point, it was estimated that it could cost almost $2 million just to redevelop it," Rogers said.

Demolition work will take place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Work will be staged off Cottage Hill Avenue. The parking lot at 225 S. Prospect Ave., north of Wilder Park Conservatory, will remain open.

The district is sharing updates on the "Elevate Elmhurst Parks" process at epd.org/news/elevate-elmhurst-parks.