ONTARIO – Demolition of the former East of Chicago Pizza building at 1582 Park Ave. W. will begin Monday, according to Ontario service safety director Jeff Wilson.
The demolition, which is to be completed by H&T Demolition, was ordered by city council last summer after a February 2018 inspection proved the building unsafe.
“It’s about safety. The building had become an unsafe structure, so the health department deemed it unsafe,” said Wilson, who accompanied Ontario’s former zoning inspector Dan Herrold, city engineer Mark Rufener and Richland County Public Health representative Wesley Engelbach for the inspection.
Wilson recalled significant water damage at the former restaurant. Further, the building had been vacant for several years and was no longer maintained by its owners.
According to the Richland County Auditor’s property records the property is owned by “Lu Wan Hui,” whose mailing address is in Gilbert, Arizona. The owner was given notice of the building’s potential demolition in June 2018.
Wilson estimated the demotion at $15,500, which excludes engineering and asbestos abatement. The city will demolish the structures with money from its general fund, and the cost will be assessed to the property owners’ taxes.
