Residents press LaSalle leaders to enforce vacant-building rules for Kaskaskia Hotel, Maytag and Hegler mansion

At the City of LaSalle's council meeting, two residents urged the council to enforce the municipal vacant-building rules and hold property owners accountable for long-term deterioration of landmark buildings including the Kaskaskia Hotel, the Maytag building and the Julius Hegler Mansion.

A commenter identified in the record as a resident said the city issued ordinance violations in 2015 tied to those properties but that the owner did not provide the required paperwork. "If CARES was issued a violation for failing to register a vacant building, they would have had to provide the city with a vacant building plan within 10 days. However, when I requested the vacant building plan, I was informed that no such plan exists," the resident said during public comment.

The resident read portions of the municipal code, citing Chapter 154, Section 5 (the obligation to register vacant buildings) and Section 7 (requirements of a vacant-building plan). The resident summarized Section 16, saying the code allows a $1,000 registration fee for buildings 20,000 square feet or larger and provides that after three years of required registration the owner must either obtain permits sufficient for a certificate of occupancy or demolish the building; failure to comply can trigger fines of at least $750. The speaker estimated the city could have collected more than $3,000 in registration fees for the Kaskaskia Hotel alone if the ordinance had been enforced.

Dana Hicks, another public commenter, told the council she was concerned about the Maytag building after a recent inspection and asked what the city would do to ensure the owner repaired hazards identified by inspectors. "Is anybody gonna hold them to getting this fixed, recurrent inspection, anything to kind of make sure that they're doing what they need to do to keep us safe?" Hicks asked.

Council members and staff did not take formal action during the public comment period. The mayor and council heard the comments but did not announce a new enforcement step or timeline at the meeting. The transcript shows residents raising three distinct concerns: (1) the absence of a written vacant-building plan that the ordinance requires, (2) possible structural hazards at the Maytag building reported in a recent inspection, and (3) long-term neglect of the Julius Hegler Mansion despite statements on the Hegler Cares Foundation website about planned restoration work.

The resident who cited the ordinance asked why prior ordinance violations were dismissed in October 2016 despite the apparent absence of a required vacant-building plan. The resident asked the council to "ensure a future for these historic landmarks by enforcing the ordinances it established, holding the company accountable for allowing these buildings to sit and deteriorate." Dana Hicks asked for details about building plans and deadlines for the Hegler mansion restoration; she said she had contacted the Hegler Cares Foundation and was told planned spring work would not include the exterior grand staircase.

No council motion, referral to staff, or vote on enforcement measures appeared in the meeting record. The comments were made during the public comment portion of the meeting and were not followed by a formal directive on the council floor. The transcript does record that the mayor interrupted public comment when individual speakers' three minutes expired.

Ending

Speakers asked the council to use existing municipal code provisions to compel owners to file vacant-building plans, make timely repairs or face fees and other remedies described in Chapter 154. The council did not adopt any new ordinance or take a vote on enforcement at this meeting.