About 18 months after a fire completely destroyed a sober-living home in Crystal Lake, Last Chance House is rebuilding on the same property to continue their efforts to help men recover from addiction.

The fire broke out late at night on March 19, 2024 and took more than an hour to extinguish, Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department officials said. At the time, the building was home for seven men who were going through the difficult process of alcoholism recovery.

Last Chance House is a nonprofit that helped about 1,000 men with alcoholism recover since 2006, Board of Directors President John Danley said.

Seven residents and an in-house manager were in the residential facility at the corner of Route 176 and Second Street at the time of the fire, which was ruled accidental, Danley said. One resident went to the bathroom and noticed a fire outside the home that quickly spread inside.

With help from donations and insurance, the nonprofit group is building the new home on the same property. Crews broke ground last month, the foundation has been poured and some of the first floor and walls are starting to be put together. If all goes according to plan, Danley said the house should be completed in February.

Board member and secretary Larry Baum said he’s a “skeptic” on the quick turnaround but added: “We’ll be happy whenever it’s done. I’m most comfortable saying spring.”

The previous home was built in the 1920s. The new structure will be updated with an open-concept layout, but it will still be able to house up to nine men, Danley said.

“We’ll be able to get back to our ability to help nine men at a time in a much more efficient and 2025-style home,” he said.

The team always knew that they wanted to rebuild on same property, rather than start fresh at a different location, Danley said. A community meeting space on the property is still in tact, and the neighbors have been Last Chance House’s “biggest cheerleaders,” he said.

“We do serve the fellas that live there, but to a greater extent we serve the entire recovery community in the county, and moving to a different spot would change that,” he said.

About a year before the fire, Last Chance House started renting a home in Cary that was “one step up” from the Crystal Lake home, Danley said. The nonprofits still rents the home today, and it’s current housing four men. After the fire, they tailored it to serve their immediate needs for men earlier in the sobriety journey, Baum said.

“So, we were able to stay in the game and continue to help people along the way,” Danley said. “Our phone never stops ringing for availability.”

The community’s immediate response after the devastating fire was “almost overwhelming,” Danley said. About $9,000 went directly to the residents to help pay for rent and provide necessities like clothing, and all the residents had a place to stay the next day, Baum said.

Another organization, New Directions Addiction Recovery Service, also helped the nonprofit by moving some residents to its sober-living homes.

Once the new building is certified for occupancy, the team plans to provide their services at “full strength,” Danley said. Typically, Last Chance House houses 40 to 50 men at minimum annually.

“Adding up, that’s a lot of guys that the house has provided an opportunity to get well at,” he said.

During construction, the nonprofit aims to upgrade some parts of the home, depending on how much money can be raised to cover the costs. So far, Baum estimates costs of $14,500 to change from carpet to vinyl flooring, $4,500 to upgrade the water heater to accommodate for 10 people and $5,500 for security cameras.

Another additional cost is a city code requiring the group to install a sidewalk along Route 176, Danley said.

Donations to refurnish and restock the home with items like linens and pillows will be needed eventually, but the group won’t be taking them until closer to completion of construction, as they currently don’t have space to house the donations, Danley said.

Last Chance House will begin looking for sponsors and grants in November, Baum said.

Donations can be made on Last Chance House’s website, lastchancehouse.org. Donations can also be made directly to the nonprofit by calling 815-893-0712.