Water Tower removed from historic Goldblatt building on Chicago Ave.

Multiple cranes and several companies worked all day and into the night Saturday to remove the water tower from the historic Goldblatt Brothers Department Store building at 1613-35 W. Chicago Ave. 

It is unclear as to how much it cost to remove the tower or from where the funds are being allocated. The tower is supposed to be replaced with a replica in 2018, according to a report by Alisa Hauser in DNAinfo in October. 

A second issue with this building is the scaffolding that has been lining Chicago Ave. in front of the building for more than two years.

East Village Association's (EVA) Catherine Garypie reached out to the city to get more information about the scaffolding in October. She learned that it was protecting pedestrians from deteriorating windows. 

Alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno, 1st Ward, told EVA that the City claimed that the windows were in danger of falling out. As pointed out by Neal McKnight, EVA's Past President, "No documents or evidence was produced to support this contention." 

As reported by Michael VanDam in the EVA membership meeting minutes for October, "repair funds, estimated at $1.5 million, are not in the 2016 city budget. Ald. Proco Joe Moreno has mentioned the potential of dedicating discretionary funds to fixing the building, but more information is needed on whether ward 'menu money' or community fundraising could be earmarked solely for this project." 

In the meantime, the water tower is gone but the scaffolding remains. 

Constructed between 1921 and 1928, the building was the first in what would be a chain of stores founded by Maurice and Nathan Goldblatt. The building was designated  a Chicago Landmark in 1998 and a complete renovation was done by the City of Chicago Public Building Commission.  

It became the home to several City of Chicago department offices as well as the West Town Senior Satellite Center, operated by the Chicago Department of Family & Support Services. 

The Chicago Public Library opened the West Town Branch at 1625 W. Chicago Ave. in September in 2010.