Demolition of a vintage building in Pilsen, IL began this week, despite preservation efforts by its owners and the community.

The red brick and terracotta building located at 1920 S. Halsted has more than a century of history, but is being torn down by the city due to the owner's failure to meet development guidelines.

"It's really a shame," said Steve Stoltz, a policy and legislation aid for 25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis, about the building located at 1920 S. Halsted.

"There really will be sort of a hole on Halsted Street. A building of such historic character cannot just be reproduced."

The city proceeded with the building's destruction after its owners, the Podmajersky family, failed to develop the site in accordance with guidelines set by the City of Chicago's Department of Law.

"On February 7, 2006, the City entered into an agreed order of demolition with the Podmajerskys ... The building is a shell, and has deteriorated to the point where [the Department of Law] has been informed that it has no architectural significance," said Mara Georges, corporation counsel for the city's Department of Law.

Since that signing, the family has made strides to redevelop the building and planned for office space on the first floor. However, the changes were not sufficient enough for the city to reverse its decision.

Alderman Solis, acting on behalf of a concerned neighborhood-which had approximately 220 people signing a petition to save the building-made efforts to save the building, but found the situation out of his hands.

"The Alderman would like to do anything he could on behalf of the neighborhood, but it's a private matter already under litigation," Stoltz said.

"The redevelopment plan was not sufficient enough to meet the city's plans."

According to a press release from the Chicago Arts District, an organization established by the Podmajersky family in the 1960s to revitalize the Pilsen East neighborhood, the building was constructed in 1900 and had at various times operated residential and retail space, including a small hotel and clothing store. The Chicago Arts District also maintains that the Podmajerskys had put in "significant funds in the preservation of the building" and was secure at the time of demolition.

As Stoltz understood the case, the city wanted the building to contribute more than just personal office space to the neighborhood.

"It's a sticky situation and the Alderman was stuck between a rock and a hard place," Stoltz said. "Now, any new building will just not be in character with the rest of area."