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Historic Broadway Bank Gets Spruced Up, But Was Work Approved by the City?

By Linze Rice | November 11, 2015 2:53pm | Updated on November 11, 2015 9:35pm
 Work was underway Tuesday at the former Broadway Bank building in Edgewater, a city landmark, yet no permits appeared to be issued for the work.
Broadway Bank Construction
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EDGEWATER — Work is underway at the historic former Broadway Bank building at 5960 North Broadway in Edgewater to help clean and beautify the place for a potential renter, but none of the required permits were obtained.

Joe Padorr, the building's leasing agent, confirmed Wednesday evening that the landlord was sprucing the place up — including tearing up the carpet to reveal the building's terrazzo flooring — as the search continues for the "ideal user who will be an asset to the community and a great addition to the retail growth in Edgewater."

Until Padorr's response the work underway at the building was a mystery, as no work permits could be seen in the windows of the building, and no permits could be found in the city's data portal.

On Wednesday afternoon, a pile of carpet squares were stacked in the building's southern end at 5948 N. Broadway and crews inside the 5960 N. Broadway could be seen chipping away the floors. Garbage cans, vacuums and a dolly were visible inside the building.

Padorr said he had assumed permits were not required for the work, but according to the City of Chicago, landmark buildings are some of the only instances when a permit is required to replace windows — as is the case here.

The building is an official Chicago landmark and dates back to when North Broadway was an early hub for auto showrooms.

On Tuesday, a crew was working inside the building, which had most of its large, street-facing windows covered. On the sidewalk outside, an old walk-up deposit box lay on its side. It appeared to have been removed from an exterior wall, leaving a gaping hole in the building's side. A piece of plywood covered the hole by Wednesday where a window will likely go.

Inside, the old teller's stations had been removed.

City officials could not be reached for comment. The Edgewater Chamber of Commerce said they had noticed the work, too, but were not aware of what was being done at the space on Wednesday afternoon.

Local business groups and city officials have tried to find a tenant for the massive space since MB Financial moved down the block last year.

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