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Fire officials ordered the former Catholic Woman’s Club building at 1560 Oak Ave. in Evanston demolished Wednesday after an overnight fire gutted the structure.

The building was being renovated and expanded by Cameel Halim, a real estate investor who owns the Carlson Building and other properties in Evanston, to house his extensive collection of antique time pieces and art glass.

Neighbors gather on the sidewalk to talk about the loss of the landmark structure.

Fire officials were not immediately available this morning to discuss the cause of the blaze, which was still under investigation Wednesday.

But they told residents at a ward meeting Wednesday night that the unsafe condition of the structure after the fire forced them to order the demolition of the local landmark.

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Bill Smith is the editor and publisher of Evanston Now.

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