Before the beginning of the 20th Century, the two-story building on North Seymour Avenue in Mundelein was called the Central Hotel.
Back then, it was one of two hotels that operated on the main street of the tiny rural town that was prospering from the fertile farmland that surrounded it.
Now the former hotel at 534 N. Seymour Ave., could be destroyed.
On Monday night, Mundelein trustees may declare one of the town`s oldest buildings a public nuisance and have it demolished. The trustees and the building department say they have been unable to find the owner, who they say has neglected to bring the house up to code.
”It`s been a lot of different things over time, and it`s a shame to lose it,” said Trustee Jeffry Hayes. ”Unfortunately as time goes by, certain people let historical buildings fall into disrepair, and they`re beyond salvaging. That is the case here.”
The downtown building has a history of building and fire code violations- 39 to be exact-said Mundelein Building Commissioner William R. Rundall.
The most recent violation, in April 1991, involved a faulty heating system that allowed carbon monoxide to escape into the house, he said.
In that same month, building inspectors removed the 10 residents who shared the two-story apartment that had been converted into boarding rooms.
Rundall said the village has taken legal action against what it claims to be the title holder of the property, attorney Michael H. Schiessle of Park Ridge.
Schiessle apparently has been paying the property taxes, but he has not responded to the village`s request to repair the building, Rundall said.
”There have been complaints for the seven years I`ve been here,”
said Rundall, who acknowledged that he has never talked to the owner. ”I would certainly say he is irresponsible.”
But an Indiana real estate developer, Tom Simunick, painted a different picture.
Simunick said Friday that Mundelein building officials had not responded to his calls and letters that showed he had leased the building and was planning to repair and upgrade it.
”The building is not in that bad of shape,” said Simunick, who works for South Lake Associates, an Indiana firm that buys and renovates older properties. ”But I have gotten nothing out of Mundelein. I left them my phone number, address, and they have never contacted me.”
Simunick said he leased the building from Lubo Klassic of Park Ridge, who he believes is the owner.
The developer said he plans to take legal action on Monday to prevent the village from demolishing his $7,000 investment.
Rundall acknowledged receiving a letter from Simunick, but said village attorneys already had taken legal action.
