VIDEO: Apartments Bulldozed To Make Room For Development In Oak Forest

OAK FOREST, IL — An apartment building on 157th Street was bulldozed Monday as the City of Oak Forest makes way for a mixed-use development in the space.

The apartments located across from the Metra parking lot have been mostly long vacant, but have had some tenants move out as recently as beginning of this summer, said Communications Director Chrissy Maher.

The demolition is the first of two parts to prepare for the construction of a mixed-use development at 15644 S. Cicero Avenue. The proposed development, which includes 75 multi-family units, commercial first-floor space and 15 row homes would replace the former Magna Electric and the adjacent apartment building at the northwest corner of Cicero Avenue and 157th Street.

The former Magna Electric building will be next to be demolished, Maher said.

The city purchased the buildings in order to tear them down. The developer will then purchase the properties, according to officials.

The plan also calls for a parking facility that would hold 30 vehicles to serve the residential units and on-street parking to serve the proposed commercial space.

Construction of the row homes is expected to begin this year.