Kankakee officials say owner neglected former Salvation Army building as tax-sale bidders back away

KANKAKEE — City lawyers briefed the Kankakee City Council on Jan. 5 about the deteriorating former Salvation Army building at 591 East Court Street and steps the city is taking as the property moves through a tax-sale process.

In-house counsel Miss Landler told the council the city first became aware of roof problems in early 2024 and that code enforcement issued five tickets over the following eight months that ultimately resulted in defaulted fines totaling $16,000. Drone photos reviewed by a structural engineer showed the roof had collapsed and the engineer concluded the building was unsafe; the city fenced the site to protect pedestrians, Landler said.

"The structural engineer indicated that the building was unsafe and indicated that a new roof would need to be designed and installed to prove stability or provide stability," Landler said, adding that the work would be costly and that no repairs were attempted by the owner after the roof incident in October 2024. The city filed for a preliminary injunction on Feb. 11, 2025; an order issued on April 17 required repairs, but the owner did not comply, she said.

The owner informed the city that it would not invest in repairs and intended to let the property go through the tax-sale process. The tax trustees conducted an auction in September 2025; Landler said the trustees allowed the city to vet bidders after the auction to prevent speculative purchases that would leave the property vacant. The first bidder did not respond to the city's outreach; a second bidder had an engineer inspect the building but on Jan. 1, 2026 withdrew because of the capital needed to rehabilitate the property.

"The trustees office has informed me that we have approximately 5 more bidders," Landler said, adding that bidders will be vetted to ensure they have the financial wherewithal and a plan to stabilize the exterior and roof quickly. Under the tax deed, a new owner must substantially complete repairs within a year or risk losing the title, she said.

Mayor Curtis emphasized the city's preference for a private party with capacity to stabilize the structure rather than the city taking on the project. "We don't wanna see a building torn down," he said, while acknowledging roof repairs likely would be a six-figure undertaking. He urged anyone locally with the resources to step forward to discuss timelines and plans with city staff.

City officials said they are not taking action at this meeting but will continue vetting bidders; if no viable bidder emerges the administration will return to council to consider city acquisition or demolition to address public-safety concerns.

Next steps: the city will continue vetting remaining bidders from the tax sale and report back to council; no formal council action was taken at the Jan. 5 meeting.