The Broadview Hotel on Galesburg’s public square has seen better days.
City officials say it’s a harbor for illegal activities, two years after it closed due to a number of code violations.
In addition, it’s an eyesore and a public safety hazard, with broken windows, broken doors, and falling concrete.
So the city has now contacted the owner with an important message: make the building safe or we’re going to tear the whole thing down.
“After an inspection and a proper notice to the owner, they were notified of dangerous conditions at the property and failed to make adequate repairs,” Thompson said.
City administration asked council members to authorize proceeding with the legal side of issuing a demolition order, to which the council unanimously agreed.
Thompson said water has been turned off at the property since February of 2021, so there is no fire protection, and there are several years of unpaid taxes.
There are nearly $5,000 in unpaid water bills and more than $6,000 in city fines and fees for nuisance and criminal complaints at the property.
Just how long until the iconic hotel, restaurant, and lounge could come down depends on how quickly the city could wade through any liens or other legal issues.
Thompson said it’s also possible the owners could choose to fight the demolition and make repairs to the property.
“We could still have a pretty ugly building that has just had some things done to it to make it safe,” Thompson said.
Demolition would cost between $275,000 and $325,000, at the city’s expense.
But that would pave the way for future development at the site.
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