Approval of a contract to demolish the former Rosemont Village Hall building, 9501 W. Devon Ave., is expected at Monday's village board meeting.
Village trustees will be asked to approve spending $1,312,200 to raze the eight-story building that has served as Rosemont's seat of government for about the last 40 years. Rosemont had purchased the office building and remodeled the interior for use as village hall. The municipal offices moved out of the building about a year ago after Rosemont bought the vacant former Cisco building on Technology Boulevard near the Rosemont Theater.Omega III, LLC will perform the demolition work.
Demolition could begin in January and be completed a month or two later. The village purchased the new village hall in 2022. When offices moved out of the Devon building, a private company took over control of the structure. However, it was decided that the company could not financially continue, resulting in the village re-assuming control.
According to Mayor Brad Stephens, it's been determined that for the village to keep the Devon building, there would be a huge cost for remodeling and upgrading which would be too expensive. Local officials are brainstorming ideas on the future use of the property which is located across from Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. One possibility is to construct a small office building with two or more restaurants.
"We have some ideas," said Stephens on Saturday. "We're just in the thought process. It will be developed."
The building, it's believed, was constructed in the 1960s and originally named O'Hare East Office Building. Later, the village purchased it to serve as its new village hall. Previously, village hall was located on property where the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center now stands.