Tim Landis
The State Journal-Register
The former Esquire Theatre building in Springfield joins two former hotels, an old flour mill, an apartment complex and an office building in what has turned out to be a busy summer for demolition work. Demolition and cleanup at the theater site at MacArthur Boulevard and South Grand Avenue is expected to take about 60 days.
The theater building has remained vacant since the Esquire closed in 2003.
The Esquire is the latest in a series of commercial demolition projects resulting, in some cases, from a 2011 city ordinance that limits abandoned buildings to three years on a vacant property registration list. Once demolition and site cleanup have been completed, there will be a final inspection of the Esquire site, city planning coordinator John Sadowski wrote in an email.
“After the building has been demolished, and the debris has been hauled away, the contractor must call for a cavity inspection for buildings having basements,” Sadowski wrote. “We make sure that debris such as tree stumps, carpet, water heaters, tires and wood products have been removed before the cavity is filled back in.”‘
Demolition debris
Reusable concrete, steel and metals from demolition of the former theater will be sent to recyclers, said Kevin McCloughan of McCloughan Contractors in Springfield. McCloughan is the demolition contractor on the project. “The building was basically structurally sound,” McCloughan said.
Demolition work was held up for a time last week while workers for McCloughan Contractors pumped water out of the basement. Once the city has given clearance, the site will be filled in, McCloughan said. An environmental company removed asbestos from the building prior to demolition.
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Ruler Foods
Discount grocer Ruler Foods, a chain owned by Kroger, has a purchase contract on the Esquire site, though the company has not yet disclosed a construction schedule. The contract is for the section of former theater property north of Conkling Avenue.
Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin said he has discussed the project with the design firm for Kroger and Ruler Foods. The Esquire site is in McMenamin’s ward.
McMenamin said he shared recommendations from MacArthur Boulevard studies of potential retail, commercial and residential uses for the busy corner, including landscape and design recommendations. “They are aware of what’s going on and how important it is the project fit into the neighborhood,” he said.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 