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Loved ones of E2 victims speak out as Chicago building is demolished
The building that housed the E2 nightclub, the site of a 2003 tragedy that claimed 21 lives, is being demolished after a portion of the structures roof reportedly collapsed.
CHICAGO - The building that housed the E2 nightclub, the site of a 2003 tragedy that claimed 21 lives, is being demolished after a portion of the structure's roof reportedly collapsed and city officials determined it poses significant structural risks.
Crews arrived on Tuesday to begin dismantling the structure, located in Chicago's historic Motor Row District on South Michigan Avenue.
The decision to demolish the building follows years of controversy, including a recent rejection by the Chicago Commission on Landmarks to approve a demolition permit. Despite objections from preservationists and emotional testimony from family members of the tragedy’s victims, city officials ultimately ruled the building unsafe.
The structure at 2347 S. Michigan Ave. has sat vacant for over two decades. Once a vibrant part of the city’s automobile history, the building became a grim reminder of the Feb. 17, 2003, tragedy at the E2 nightclub, when a stampede triggered by pepper spray used to break up a fight led to 21 deaths. The club, operating in violation of city codes at the time, saw hundreds of patrons rush toward a steep, narrow staircase, causing many to fall and be trampled.
In the years since the tragedy, families of the victims have called for the building’s removal, advocating for a memorial to honor those lost.
Building owner Randy Shifrin, who had applied for a demolition permit earlier this year after being notified the structure was unsafe, had also expressed interest in creating affordable housing on the site with a memorial for the victims. However, the city’s historical preservation rules in the Motor Row District initially stalled the demolition process.
Mayor's office statement
- In October, the Landmarks Commission determined it was a contributing building to the Motor Row historic district and denied the issuance of a demolition permit to the owner, Motor Row Investments LLC. At the time, Department of Buildings inspectors believed the building was structurally sound, based on exterior inspections.
- Last night, a portion of the structure's roof reportedly collapsed and the owner mobilized a demolition crew to remove the building, pursuant to an administrative order by DOB due to hazardous conditions.
- The building's status as a designated landmark does not apply to buildings that are imminently dangerous.
Department of Buildings statement
The Department of Buildings inspected the building at 2347 S. Michigan Ave. on April 9, 2024, and referred multiple exterior building code violations to the Department of Law, which filed a circuit court case on August 14, 2024.
On November 22, 2024, a DOB inspector conducted a court-ordered inspection of the property, found the building to be vacant and open, and noted the following dangerous and hazardous building code violations:
- Structural failure of the bow truss roof system.
- Partial roof collapse
- Roof joists are compromised due to water infiltration
- Three feet of standing water in a partial basement at the northeast corner of the property
- Open elevator shaft
These building conditions pose an immediate threat to first responders and the public. Pursuant to the Commissioner’s authority under section 14A-3.311.3 of the City of Chicago Municipal Code, this building should be immediately demolished on an EMERGENCY BASIS by the property owner.