WICKER PARK — A one-story building that was home to Chinese food staple Papajin since 1995 was demolished within an hour on Wednesday, as passers-by in Wicker Park stopped to watch the destruction.
Located at 1551 N. Milwaukee Ave., the now-torn down 100-year-old building and its lot is owned by Eric Wang, who also operated Papajin, which closed in September.
Wang got a zoning change approved by the City Council in July that will enable him to replace the building with a new four-story brick building offering a trio of three-bedroom apartments, one on each floor above his restaurant, Papajin.
Wang previously told DNAinfo Chicago that Papajin — barring any unforeseen circumstances — would continue to be on the ground floor when the new development is completed.
Architect Allen Villanueva's four-story building planned for the site features red brick with green window trim, according to a rendering.
On Wednesday, Wang was not immediately available to discuss the project's construction timeline or when the restaurant could be back in business.
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