The building on West 183rd Street that once was home to the Brunswick Zone bowling alley, left, and Big Lots store is now owned by the village of Homewood and is slated for redevelopment. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
Business

Homewood makes progress in redeveloping vacant bowling alley, retail site

Homewood trustees approved a settlement agreement on Oct. 25 with the owner of the building at 3055 183rd St. that formerly housed Brunswick Zone bowling alley and Big Lots store.

As part of the settlement, the village now owns the building.

The building on West 183rd Street that once was home to the Brunswick Zone bowling alley, left, and Big Lots store is now owned by the village of Homewood and is slated for redevelopment. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
The building on West 183rd Street that once was home to the Brunswick Zone bowling alley, left, and Big Lots store is now owned by the village of Homewood and is slated for redevelopment. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)

Brunswick Zone bowling alley closed early in January 2015, not long after the business was sold to AMF. Big Lots closed in May and reopened on 183rd Street in Country Club Hills.

Prior to the departure of Big Lots, the village had limited options for obtaining and redeveloping the building, according to Economic Development Director Angela Mesaros.

In January 2020, Homewood filed a demolition order against the property, Mesaros said in a memo to the Board of Trustees. The village determined the building was deteriorating and in violation of building codes, so it was declared a public nuisance.

The property owner, KM Homewood LLC, agreed to give the property to the village to settle the demolition suit, Mesaros said.

The next step will be to work with Cook County to resolve unpaid taxes on the property, which would make redevelopment more feasible, Mesaros said. The village has had interest in the site from potential developers.

Mesaros said the village would like to see the site used for retail businesses, but is not certain what developers will propose.

The property is within the Kedzie Gateway tax increment financing district established last year, so some redevelopment costs might qualify for incentives.

Related story:

Youngsters pitch ideas for redeveloping former Brunswick Zone building (April 28, 2018)

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