Elgin IL: Home, ... is free for the taking

Check out today's Chicago Tribune article:
Home, annexed into Elgin for a new project, is literally free for the taking

The John Schmidtke house on Toll Gate Road, part of a 32-acre site annexed into the city of Elgin, is free to anyone who can relocate it before construction on a new industrial development begins in the spring. Gloria Casas/The Courier-News
By Gloria Casas For Courier-News
A mid-century modern house that’s a Kane County historical landmark is available to anyone who wants to move it before the land on which it sits is cleared for a $30 million industrial development on Toll Gate Road.
The 2,300-square-foot home built in 1967 by local architect John Schmidtke lost its landmark protection earlier this month after the Elgin City Council voted unanimously to annex it into the city as part of the 32-acre site being developed by High Street Logistics.
If it’s not relocated, it will be one of six homes razed so construction on two industrial buildings — one 187,000 square feet and the other 248,000 square feet — can begin in April.
“The developer will give the house to anyone who will move it, and staff is sharing this offer with its network of preservationists, including Landmark Illinois,” said Marc Mylott, the city’s director of community development.
High Street Logistics is willing to hold off on demolition until the spring to allow time for a potential move to occur, a High Street representative said in response to a question raised by Councilman John Steffen....

Sounds like a Permie-worthy project to me!

Just one more bump....
By the way, during massive road building efforts, homes get taken apart, nails straightened, all construction materials itemized. As a youth, my builder mentor and his brothers took apart and rebuilt many of the homes to make way for St. Francis Drive in Santa Fe; they were teenagers. Learn by deconstruction and dissection. Each house is disassembled and reassembled. Moving houses is doable! The materials are free. Yes it's difficult but such an achievement to save a landmark building.

I've also seen houses moved, intact. Not cheap, a bit risky, fascinating to watch... but it can be done.  

Wow! There's even a deconstruction how-to:
https://re-store.org/deconstructing-a-house-in-five-easy-steps-notes-from-the-field/

Carla Burke wrote:I've also seen houses moved, intact. Not cheap, a bit risky, fascinating to watch... but it can be done.  

I wish that was  the rule rather than the exception. I watched with my eight year old eyes as my childhood home ,  taken by eminent domain,  was demolished by a bulldozer , 67 years ago , to make way for Interstate 95 ,

rick jacobson wrote:
I wish that was  the rule rather than the exception. I watched with my eight year old eyes as my childhood home ,  taken by eminent domain,  was demolished by a bulldozer , 67 years ago , to make way for Interstate 95 ,

My friend's comment, when I drew her attention to your post: "this is why it's cool that they are moving it, I wish they'd move more of them rather than bulldoze, as it's very sad and a massive waste of resources."

I couldn't agree more, and we're both very sad that happened to you and your family.