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City to “Windy City Rehab”: Proceed with caution

The HGTV show can resume some projects after a long delay, but a Department of Buildings spokesperson said they were “monitoring the work closely”

Windy City Rehab's Alison Victoria Gramenos and Donovan Eckhardt and 1846 N. Damen Avenue (Credit: HGTV, Google Maps)
Windy City Rehab's Alison Victoria Gramenos and Donovan Eckhardt and 1846 N. Damen Avenue (Credit: HGTV, Google Maps)

Twelve stop-work orders, a suspended contractor license and six months later “Windy City Rehab” can resume some of their Chicago home improvement projects.

The city has allowed the popular HGTV show to start back up on two properties, and a dozen more are awaiting inspections after work was halted in July, according to Block Club. The properties were found in violation of multiple construction codes, including working without permits, according to the report.

The only property with an active stop-work order is the building at 1846 N. Damen Ave., which houses Miko’s Italian Ice.

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The show still hurdles to overcome. Co-stars Alison Victoria and Donovan Eckhardt’s Greymark Development Group are still being prevented from applying for new building permits.

“It’s only to correct past violations,” Gregg Cunningham, a spokesman for the Department of Buildings told Block Club. “We’re still monitoring the work closely…watching for any attempt to circumvent our process here.”

HGTV and Victoria may be pushing Eckhardt out of the picture. Also in July, Victoria said she would be working with a new general contractor to finish the show. That new spot could be ECM Builders which is listed as the contractor on an active building permit to complete construction at 1815 W. Augusta Boulevard. [Block Club] — Jacqueline Flynn