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DeKALB – A sizable portion of the building that once housed the Wurlitzer Piano Company on Pleasant Street collapsed some time over the weekend of July 14-15.
"There was more collapse in the area that collapsed prior," said Lou Larson, DeKalb building supervisor.
The building first began to crumble on Sunday, May 20 when an unoccupied portion of the top floors and the roof of the west end of the brick building collapsed. DeKalb police temporarily closed off part of Pleasant Street near the building after the initial collapse, and condemned the damaged portion of the building later that week.
The more recent collapse destroyed much of the west end of the 300,000-square-foot, three-story building. The west end of the building was built in about 1904, and newer portions of the building were added as recently as the 1960s.
There were no injuries in either incident.
Dale Ludewig, who makes furniture and musical instruments in a shop in one of the newer portions of the factory along Pleasant Street, does not anticipate having to move his shop. However, Cliff Alexis, a steel drum builder and tuner who co-directs the Northern Illinois University Steel Band, has his shop in one of the older parts of the building near the collapsed section.
"We are going to have to move but we don't know where yet," Alexis said, noting that NIU officials are looking for another location for the shop.
Larson said that he stays in regular contact with the building's owners and property managers, as well as with a structural engineer. The owner, Rose Joint Venture, is in talks with its bank and insurance adjuster about demolishing the oldest parts of the building.
Larson replaced the temporary snow fence around the damaged area with more secure construction fence last week to protect pedestrians and deter trespassers.
Jade Peterson, account manager for Rose Joint Venture, said the most recent crumble was related to the same issue that caused the building to collapse May 20. City officials thought strong winds might have caused the initial collapse. Peterson said he's not able to comment on future plans for the building because the owners are still working with the insurance company.
Nicole Weskerna contributed to this report.