July 16, 2025
Local News

Downtown DeKalb buildings being demolished for Cornerstone project

ore equipment being brought in to finish off Otto’s

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DeKALB – Owners of businesses near the demolition of three downtown properties had expressed concern about the dust, the parking and traffic issues and rodents that might crawl out of the debris.

No one saw the bees coming. Not even the Northern Illinois Service Co. crew leveling the buildings Monday to make way for the Cornerstone project.

Work stopped and spectators thinned out about 11 a.m., as thousands of bees flew out of the debris and over Lincoln Highway. No one on-site reported being stung, and the suddenly homeless bees scattered minutes later.

DeKalb Community Development Director Jo Ellen Charlton said no nest or hives had been reported during inspections, and that DeKalb-based Indevcon Inc. was used as an environmental consultant to address remediation issues to the buildings starting in May.

From May 3 through 8, Joliet-based Mid America Property Services handled the asbestos removal in the properties, and Batavia-based Impact Technology Group performed air quality testing and monitoring.

Once the swarm of bees dissipated, the crowds again lined the north side of First Street – some to watch in awe, many to reminisce about their experiences with the various business that inhabited them over the years.

The situation was particularly disheartening for Omar Musfi, owner of Mediterraneo Grill at 122 E. Lincoln Highway, who was in tears as the site of his restaurant for the past seven years was demolished.

“It’s very sad,” Musfi said.

Musfi had been working to relocate his business but has yet to find a suitable location in the area, DeKalb Economic Development Director Jason Michnick said.

DeKalb resident Kelsey Williams said she could see and smell black mold in the wreckage, and that others expressed having trouble breathing as a result. She and other DeKalb residents met at Common Grounds on Monday evening to discuss black mold and other issues related to the Cornerstone project.

City Attorney Dean Frieders said during Monday’s City Council meeting that although there are no state regulations for mold testing, all of the asbestos and state-regulated contaminants were removed, and the project has been compliant with any applicable local, state or federal law.

Bill Schmidt took his 5-year-old granddaughter, Sadie, and 3-year-old grandson, Jay, to watch the demolition Monday morning, and said it will be sad not to see the landmark Otto’s building at 112-118 E. Lincoln Highway anymore. The building has been vacant since 2014.

“I’m going to miss Otto’s, and it’s too bad it had to go this far that it’s beyond restoration, but it’s progress [for the city],” Schmidt said.

The Otto's and Mediterraneo buildings, along with the Glitter building at 124 E. Lincoln Highway, were acquired by John Pappas and razed to allow for the construction of a $7.5 million apartment and commercial-use building known as the Cornerstone project.

Hand demolition on the properties began Thursday and was mostly finished on the northwest corner of the Otto’s building, so that any falling debris would not interfere with the nearby street lights at the corner of First Street and Lincoln Highway, Pappas said.

Full-scale demolition of the Glitter and Mediterraneo buildings began about 8:30 a.m. Monday, and work on the 118 E. Lincoln portion of the Otto’s building began about 10:30 a.m.

Pappas said additional machinery will be brought in Tuesday to finish the demolition of Otto’s.

Michnick estimates the demolition will be finished by Memorial Day. Sidewalks along the project site will remain closed until it is determined the construction is no longer a threat to public safety.

A release from the city states that in order to accommodate demolition work at the corner of First Street and state Route 38, the First Street northbound lanes will close at Franklin Street on Tuesday and Wednesday during normal work hours. A temporary detour will direct northbound traffic on First Street east on Franklin Street and north on South Third Street.

The Cornerstone building will have commercial space on the first floor, which is expected to house Barb City Bagels and a bar and grill when finished. The top three stories will hold 51 fully furnished, single-bedroom apartments. Once the building is finished, the Barb City Bagels building at 122 S. First St. will be demolished for tenant parking.