The next phase to demolish the former Will County Courthouse has begun.
After about two months demolishing the interior, work to tear down the exterior structure began Friday and will last until March or April, said Matthew Libs, a spokesman for the county executive’s office.
All of the building’s windows were recently removed, and the wrecking ball began hitting the fourth floor of the former courthouse, 14 W. Jefferson St., Joliet.
American Demolition Corporation of Carol Stream last fall was awarded a nearly $1.5 million contract to demolish the four-story courthouse, which has sat vacant for about three years. The company is applying water on the area being demolished to help control dust, Libs said. The contractor is also monitoring wind directions daily and will schedule on-site activity to minimize dust proliferation, he said.
Demolition of the former Will County Courthouse in downtown Joliet is expected to continue until March or April. (Michelle Mullins/for Daily Southtown)
County officials said they have received one report from a news reporter of concrete debris leaving the perimeter on Friday and have asked American Demolition Company to review safety protocols that will reduce the possibility of falling debris leaving the vicinity.
The west side of Chicago Street, which have been closed since demolition began, will remain closed until the end of the project.
“Safety remains the top priority during this project,” said Mike Theodore, a spokesman for the county executive’s office. “It is routine during any capital projects to review plans during the project and make adjustments as needed.”
After the structure is demolished, the basement will be filled in and the site will be graded and seeded with grass. (Michelle Mullins/for Daily Southtown)
After the structure comes down, the basement will be filled in and the site will be graded and seeded with grass. The plaza, with an assortment of historical statues and plaques, will remain as open space for the public as the county board decides the future of the site.
County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy floated a concept last summer to build a potential government campus to house much-need office space for both Will County and the City of Joliet. D’Arcy has said the talks are preliminary.
Joliet resident Paul Boley stopped by the site recently to watch the demolition progress. Now retired from the pest control industry, he previously serviced the former courthouse for about 40 years and wanted to take pictures of the building for history’s sake.
“When it’s gone, it’s gone,” Boley said. “I just hope the powers that be take a good consensus from everyone because it’s public property and they use it in the most sensible way.”
The former courthouse was built on land that is held by the county in trust with the purpose of it being used for the public. It cannot be used for private purposes, the state’s attorney’s office said.
For more than two years, some residents and elected officials attempted to save the former building, which was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The county board’s newly formed ad hoc courthouse committee plans to oversee the demolition process.
“I’m hoping there’s no extra costs, but we will keep a very close eye on it,” committee member Dan Butler, a Republican from Frankfort, said.
The demolition’s budget has remained the same, Theodore said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter.
