Lincoln Park residents frustrated after large sinkhole remains unfixed
CHICAGO (CBS) – It's a massive hole in Lincoln Park and it's only getting bigger. We first heard about it when it swallowed a car.
But 12 weeks later, CBS 2's Sabrina Franza is asking why it hasn't been repaired.
CBS 2 first covered the issued in October, but the massive hole in Lincoln Park still sits wide open. The people who have to look at it every day, said they are as frustrated as this whole is deep.
At first glance, it's a normal alley, but once you see it, you can't unsee it.
"It's an eyesore," said neighbor Jamie Lundy.
"I've never seen anything like this before," said another person.
"It's just kind of ridiculous to me," said resident Luke Viti. "I don't even know what to say. I'm kind of lost for words."
Almost three months ago, a car almost fell into the hole. CBS 2 uncovered it as an old, forgotten basement with not-soon-to-be-forgotten consequences.
"Oh I think it's only gonna get bigger," said "The fact that it's been three months I personally feel like it's gotten worse."
This neighbor called us back to find out why the hole was never filled. He asked us not to show his face.
"There're dumpsters over there that are constantly overflowing and raccoons are coming there handing out in the ditch," said Lundy.
We met Lundy on her way home. She drives through this alley every day, worried that another part of it could collapse.
"First and foremost, I think the inspection is top priority, because we don't want this to happen again," she said.
The owner of the property, Steve Fifield, said they would inspect it months ago.
"Once you altered you need to be proactive and that's what we're doing," he said.
But on Wednesday, he did not answer calls.
"The weight … if it collapses on itself, it could affect the neighbors to the north and the south," said Mae Whiteside Williams, president and CEO of CKL Engineers.
Whiteside Williams assessed the hole with CBS 2 in October. She is concerned winter weather could play a role.
"What I am most concerned about is the pavement that's kind of curving downward," she said.
The Department of Buildings came by the lot in October. The property owner was ordered to fix the hole, but they didn't. Now, the city's Law Department is taking the property owner to court.
"It needs to be resolved rather quickly," Whiteside Williams said.
Again, this is the problem the architect was talking about a portion of the concrete that caves in, we will keep you posted as soon as we learn whether or not, this will finally be fixed.
CBS 2 Investigator Dorothy Tucker has reported extensively on the city of Chicago citing property owners, but not enforcing the rules.
