“It’s very exciting to see some dust for a change,” Developer Walter Kihm said today as demolition of the old Hines lumber yard building started at the site of the planned Church Street Village townhouses.
A Hines lumberyard first opened on the site at 1613 Church Street in 1890, but the property had been vacant for some time when Cyrus Homes unveiled plans to redevelop the site at a community meeting just over a year ago.
After several months of debate, the plan for 40 town homes was approved by the City Council in April.
Prices for the two- and three-bedroom units range from $367,500 to $480,500.
Mr. Kihm says he expects the demolition work will take about two weeks — longer than might otherwise be required because a lot of the material will be recycled on site for use in the new development.
Once the site is cleared he said crews will start doing drilling work to prepare for the development’s energy-efficient geothermal heating systems.
The project is the first large-scale, market rate new housing development on built on Evanston’s west side in several decades.
Related story
Church Street Village breaks ground – Nov. 17, 2006