Demolition Begins On Long-Vacant Oak Forest Ace Hardware Building

OAK FOREST, IL — Demolition began Tuesday on a long-vacant Cicero Avenue storefront.

The former Ace Hardware, 15541 S. Cicero Ave., was seen being torn down. The building's demolition is part of city officials' efforts to revitalize Cicero Avenue. Vacant since the store's closing more than a decade ago, the City purchased the building and the land on which it sits in 2016, then selling it at a later date, before buying it back in 2023 to "expedite marketing and redevelopment of the site," according to Communications Director Chrissy Maher.

Plans for the Ace Hardware property have not yet been determined, Maher said.

Nearby, construction also continues on a mixed-use development that includes 75 multi-family units, commercial first-floor space and 15 row homes.