The storied Arlington Park grandstand still towers above the western edge of Arlington Heights, but work that eventually will lead to it fading into history -- perhaps to be replaced by an even grander sports mecca -- reached the proverbial starting gate Tuesday.
Demolition equipment and crews were stationed outside the shuttered racetrack early in the morning, set to begin the first phase of tearing down the historic venue.
An application for a second permit, allowing the full-scale demolition of those buildings, plus the west and east entrances, paddock, concession, main shed, scoreboard and guard house, is awaiting village approval. Trucks will access the site from the old backstretch entrance at Industrial Avenue and Rohlwing Road, the Euclid Avenue gate, or near the closed Trackside off-track betting parlor at Euclid Avenue and Wilke Road.
Earlier this year, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi raised the value of the 326-acre property from $33.5 million to $197 million. That would increase the annual property tax bill from $2.8 million to $16.2 million. Among factors the assessor's office cited is that the Bears haven't applied for vacancy status on the site, and that with the grandstand in place, the track has the capacity to be fully functional again.
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