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City: Owner Lacked Permit To Demolish 128-Year-Old Workers Cottage

By Paul Biasco | September 25, 2014 5:57am
 The workers cottage at 625 W. Armitage Ave. was torn down last week.
The workers cottage at 625 W. Armitage Ave. was torn down last week.
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DNAinfo/Paul Biasco

LINCOLN PARK — The demolition of the 128-year-old little workers cottage on Armitage last week was done so without proper permits, according to the city.

The Chicago Department of Buildings visited the site where the quaint blue home once stood Wednesday and ordered the crew to stop all work on the property.

A city inspection team issued a stop work order to the building owner as the work in progress "exceeds the scope of work on the approved permit/plans," according to Mimi Simon, a spokeswoman for the buildings department.

Paul Biasco says neighbors enjoyed how the cottage stood out from the mansions and condos:

Construction crews from Novak Construction knocked the home down last Tuesday and had continued work in preparation for new construction until Wednesday afternoon.

 Workers taking apart the Chevron statue at the corner of Armitage and Burling Tuesday morning.
Workers taking apart the Chevron statue at the corner of Armitage and Burling Tuesday morning.
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DNAinfo/Paul Biasco

The demolition of the building, 625 W. Armitage Ave., drew gawkers to the site as the home stood out among mansions and upscale condos in the surrounding neighborhood.

Simon said it was not clear if the owner would be fined, but added construction would not be allowed to continue until he obtained the proper permits.

John Novak, who owns the construction company and lives just west of the site, bought the 801-square-foot house in 2008.

In fall 2013, Novak applied for a zoning change on the home as he sought to add on a second story with a balcony and a two-story rear addition. That application was unanimously approved.

The city granted Novak a permit in April to erect a second-story addition on the home. On Sept. 10, the city granted a revision to the building permit, giving Novak 2½ feet of public property west of the site.

In June, Novak chopped down three mature trees along Howe Street to make way for construction, which was permitted by the city.

Novak's son, Grey Novak, lived in the house for six years, according to the Tribune.

Grey Novak has plans for a 1,600-square-foot home on the site.

"I don't like the word 'developed,'" he told the Tribune. "It's too raw and cold."

This is the second time in the past few years Novak has been the source of controversy.

In 2011, a 52-foot-tall blue sculpture by John Henry titled "Chevron" was put up in front of his home. It was taken down in June 2013.

Novak also built an 8-foot brick wall around his property, which the city filed a lawsuit over last year.

According to court records the case was settled in April.

The wall remains.

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