Since closing some 10 years ago, the former IHOP restaurant at 6501 W. North Ave. in Oak Park still has not been fully demolished or replaced. Most of the building still stands, with its entryway destroyed and debris scattered around the site.
Residents have complained about the state of the building, including debris, rodent activity, graffiti and more, for years. Craig Failor, Development Services Director for the Village of Oak Park, told Wednesday Journal that the property owners have been in contact with the village on multiple occasions. He said the village has been trying to get the building demolished for “some time now.”
According to Failor, there is “some issue” stemming from the property owners and their contactor, regarding permits from the county. Failor said the village is also in contact with the county and the property owners. He said the county is now waiting for the property owners to file for a demolition permit.
“The village is monitoring that effort and, if the county permit is not obtained within a reasonable timeframe, may consider further enforcement action,” Failor said in a statement.
Certain measures preceding a full demolition, such as asbestos cleanup, have already been completed. Recently, the village issued a citation to the owners related to debris around the property, with a hearing regarding that citation scheduled for Sept. 10. That’s not the first legal measure the village has taken regarding the North Avenue property: Failor says the village took the property owners to court in the past for graffiti on the building.
Failor said he hopes the judge requires the property owners deal with the debris.
“That’s one piece of the improvement we’re looking for,” Failor said. “It’s one step to get the property cleaned up.”
A brief history of 6501 W. North Ave.
According to maps provided by the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest, a filling station was built on 6501 W. North Ave. sometime between 1947 and 1950.
By December 1964, an International House of Pancakes location had replaced the gas station, becoming the fifth Chicago-area restaurant in the national chain. A Jan. 14, 1965 review of the establishment in the Oak Leaves newspaper, described its initial business as “outstanding.” In 1965, visitors could receive an “international steak” with fries and a salad for $1.95, or a ham and cheese omelette with three buttermilk pancakes for $1.10.
The property remained an IHOP through 2015, before closing.
The building’s status as a former gas station came up in March 2016, when the property was subject to a remediation process with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The Illinois EPA Site Remediation Program is a voluntary cleanup program that applies to sites that risk releasing hazardous substances, including petroleum.
By September of that year the Illinois EPA issued a No Further Remediation Letter, indicating the site no longer posed health or environmental risks, so long as the property was still used as approved.
In late 2019, the Illinois EPA issued a notice of intent to void the No Further Remediation letter unless fees related to the 2016 assessment were paid. The letter does not appear to have been voided, though. As of a December 2021 inspection, the property has remained in compliance with the restrictions outlined in its No Further Remediation letter.
According to Failor, the county has not indicated any such issues with the building regarding its status as a former gas station. In a statement, Failor said the village will determine next steps based on whether the property owners clear debris before the Sept. 10 adjudication date.