LOGAN SQUARE — It's official: One of Logan Square's most defining structures is gone.
This week crews finished razing the massive Megamall, 2500 N. Milwaukee Ave., to make way for a $100 million mixed-use development, which calls for 240 apartments, a Jewel-Osco, XSport Fitness and more.
Now there's a huge hole where the mall used to be, leaving an unobstructed view of passing trains for the first time in decades.
The indoor flea market lasted more than 20 years, despite being slapped with more than 100 building code violations, a yearlong shutdown, a move by the city to seize it via eminent domain and a 2007 fire that reduced the showroom space to less than a third of its original size.
Before the mall took over the block in 1995, the structures were home to a building materials company and a hardware store. Years earlier, from the 1920s until the 1960s, the stretch was lined with auto repair shops, ornate showrooms and dealerships — many featuring intricate terra cotta facades.
RELATED: Before The Megamall, Milwaukee Avenue Was A Thriving Auto District
The demolition started on Dec. 29 after several months of delays. It was emotional for neighbors like Peter Contreras, 65, who used to frequently dine, shop and play games there with his children.
"It was a lot of real good memories," Contreras said at the time. "It's very sad, but old things gotta come down, and new things gotta come up."
[All photos DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]
RELATED LINKS:
Before The Megamall, Milwaukee Avenue Was A Thriving Auto District
Megamall Demolition Begins: Neighbors Say Goodbye, Snag Artifacts
Logan Square Megamall Rich in History, But Neighborhood's Ready To Move On
