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Boarded Up Goodbar, Notorious Underage Drinking Spot, Faces Wrecking Ball

By Mina Bloom | May 11, 2016 6:28am
 Goodbar, 2512 N. Halsted St., which faced scrutiny from neighbors for being loud and allowing underage drinking, is being torn down.
Goodbar, 2512 N. Halsted St., which faced scrutiny from neighbors for being loud and allowing underage drinking, is being torn down.
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DNAinfo/Mina Bloom

LINCOLN PARK — Construction crews this week tore down the boarded up Goodbar, a "notorious" problem bar that has sat vacant since it closed about six years ago due to pressure from neighbors.

The property, 2512 N. Halsted St., was issued a demolition permit in April, according to city records. On Tuesday the building was reduced to rubble.

Goodbar, 2512 N. Halsted St., was a "real problem property," according to Ald. Michele Smith (43rd), one of the community leaders who fought for its closure before taking office in 2011.

The bar was known for allowing in underage patrons and playing "very loud" music that would routinely disturb neighbors, she said. It's located across the street from Smith's office.

Similar complaints were posted on Yelp: One user called it a "frat party only filled with [sic] 21-year-olds." Another compared Goodbar's typical patrons to the characters on MTV reality TV show "The Jersey Shore."

Goodbar failed building inspections in both 2009 and 2010 for violations like "walls leaning excessively" and failure to post occupancy cards, according to the city's department of buildings.

Goodbar didn't notify the city when it closed, according to Mika Stambaugh, spokeswoman for the city's department of business affairs and consumer protection. Its business license expired in 2013 and was not renewed, Stambaugh said. 

Smith said her office hasn't received any proposals for the property yet.

Sheng Dong is listed as the most recent owner of the property, according to county records. Dong couldn't be immediately reached for comment. 

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