By Clint Wolf - May 28th 2024
SOUTH BELOIT
The demolition process for the long-vacant Garden Hotel could begin in September, if there are not any surprises between now and then.
However, South Beloit City Administrator Sonya Hoppes talks about the demolition plans with a tone of caution, noting that all plans involving the former hotel have been steeped in delays and surprises over the last several years.
Ongoing break-ins and vandalism at the hotel, including a recent fire, have illustrated the need for the condemned building to come down, city officials have said.
“It’s been a drain on taxpayer resources for a few years now,” Hoppes said of continued break-ins and vandalism to the property. “It’s getting harder to keep people from entering the property.”
With each break-in, city staff have to return to the property to board up the windows and doors to secure the building.
She said South Beloit now has been officially given permission to demolish the building. An order to demolish the building was issued in Winnebago County Circuit Court on March 28. The order stated owners of the property, New Chapter Group, was to demolish the building, but if the owners didn’t proceed with demolition, the city could take over demolition and seek restitution from the owners for demolition costs.
Hoppes said the tentative plans now are to begin demolition in September. She anticipates the demolition will take five to six weeks. Preliminary estimates for a cost for demolition is about $1.3 million.
City officials are working with McMahon Associates to draft bid specifications for the demolition, asbestos removal and other details of the demolition. Hoppes said the city hopes to advertise bids by mid-July and have bids in for review by August. The city also must obtain a Notice of Intent (NOI) storm water permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency before demolition can begin.
Although the fire at the hotel at 200 Dearborn Ave. on Sunday was small and extinguished quickly, it raised concerns, said South Beloit Fire Chief Jason Griffin.
He said he doesn’t believe the fire was a malicious attempt to burn the hotel down, but he does have concerns about the public safety issues the deteriorating building presents to anyone entering it.
“There has been many years of suspicious activity at this structure. That is why it is a high priority for the City of South Beloit to have this building demolished,” Griffin said in an email to the Beloit Daily News.
The South Beloit Fire Department was called to the hotel at about 8 p.m. Sunday and smoke was seen coming from the hotel. A box alarm call was issued and other area fire departments responded to the scene including North Park, Harlem Roscoe, Rockton, Beloit, Town of Turtle, Janesville, Superior Ambulance, Loves Park, Capron and Northwest fire departments, who either assisted on the scene or covered other calls for service while other firefighters were on the scene. The fire was extinguished in about 45 minutes, Griffin said.
The building has a lot of damage to its structure due to rain water leaking through the roof, Griffin added.
The hotel was suddenly closed in March of 2019 and the Winnebago County Health Department condemned the building in September of 2019.
The City of Beloit filed legal actions for foreclosure and for demolition of the property. In February of this year, it was announced a foreclosure settlement was reached. In March, the demolition ruling was issued, which included a fine of $8,825,500 against the owners for code violations. The court also issued a continuing fine of $5,000 a day extending from Nov. 15, 2023 until the dated the hotel is demolished.