Village to buy Land Around Leaning Tower of Niles for $2M

Land surrounding the iconic Leaning Tower of Niles is poised for redevelopment.

Niles trustees have greenlit the use of tax increment financing to acquire the former YMCA adjacent to the tower for $2.1 million, Chicago Tribune reported. The village bought the leaning tower itself from the YMCA in 2017.

CBRE is marketing the YMCA’s 6.6-acre surrounding tract, which stretches to Touhy and Melvina avenues. The village plans to demolish a seven-story residential building and an activity center to make way for retail and restaurant space.

The YMCA closed its leaning tower location in 2020, citing the impacts of the pandemic and prolonged financial losses. The deteriorating buildings are “disgusting” and “in shambles,” Niles Mayor George Alpogianis said. Patience was key to negotiating a fair sale price, he said.

“Being a businessman, I’m certain YMCA wants it off the books,” Alpogianis told the outlet. “There’s been break-ins, all kinds of things of that nature. So do you really want a piece of property and it looks like that? No. You want to get rid of it.”

Alongside the land purchase, the village secured a 47-year ground lease from the Robert E. Ilg Trust.

This acquisition follows the village’s purchase of the former Grainger industrial site for about $8 million in 2019, with hopes of fostering a mixed-use entertainment district. A portion of the 8-acre Grainger property was sold to Costco, ensuring the retail giant’s continued presence in Niles.

The village’s vision for the leaning tower site extends beyond commercial endeavors. Alpogianis spelled out plans to integrate recreational space for community events, concerts and festivals, aligning with the Niles Comprehensive 2040 Plan.

That plan, endorsed by the Village Board in February, outlines strategies to transform the Touhy Triangle into a vibrant retail hub while safeguarding it from encroaching industrialization.

The Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-size replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, built in 1934, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in February 2020.

—Quinn Donoghue