Litchfield Approves Demolition of 1425 N. Madison Under IHDA Grant

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council voted 7-0 on Sept. 3 to approve a demolition agreement for a structure at 1425 North Madison, one of the residential teardowns the city is pursuing with a $258,000 IHDA Strong Communities award. The owner consented to the demolition in writing, allowing the city to avoid a court order.

1425 N. Madison Demolition Key Points:

The city has been awarded $258,000 in IHDA Strong Communities funds for residential demolitions.

The program lets owners consent to demolition rather than having the city pursue a demolition order through the courts.

The city’s chief building official found the building open, vacant, uninhabitable and an immediate and continuing hazard, with repair costs exceeding the property’s “as is” value.

The agreement requires the city to cause the demolition within 180 days of its July 24, 2026, effective date.

LITCHFIELD — The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a demolition agreement for a structure at 1425 North Madison, continuing a run of teardowns funded through a state housing grant.

Alderperson Sara Zumwalt made the motion, seconded by Alderperson Robbin Huffman. The roll call recorded seven ayes — Alderpersons Dwayne Gerl, Huffman, Joshua Hughes, Robert Garcia, Bert Holloway, Chris Dexheimer and Zumwalt — and no noes.

The agenda memo states the city has been awarded $258,000 in IHDA Strong Communities funds to be used for residential demolitions, and that the program allows owners of a property to consent to demolition of the residence rather than the city pursuing a demolition order through the court system. The property owners, the memo states, consented in writing. The Strong Communities Grant program will reimburse the city for asbestos abatement and demolition costs.

Findings in the Agreement

The agreement and consent to demolish in the packet, dated July 24, 2026, between the city and property owner Dylan Boerckel, identifies the property as 1425 N. Madison, Parcel No. 10-33-153-006. Its recitals state that the residential building is less than three stories in height and has fewer than six residential units; that the city’s chief building official determined the building is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community; that the chief building official determined it is uninhabitable due to various violations of the municipal code; that it is not occupied by any mortgagor or lawful occupant as a principal residence; and that it is beyond reasonable repair because the cost of repairs to remedy the existing code violations exceeds the property’s “as is” value.

Under the agreement, the city must cause the building’s demolition, the remediation of environmental hazards and the removal of garbage, debris and other hazardous materials within 180 days of the effective date. The city is responsible for all costs and expenses relating to the demolition and pre-demolition inspections, including any costs not reimbursed through the program, and the agreement notes the city is not required to perform unless all other parties with a legal claim to the property have also provided written waivers or consent. Both parties waive claims against one another arising from the demolition.

‘These Houses Are Being Taken Down’

Discussion on the floor was brief and favorable. One council member asked whether the item was part of the grant program the city has been using to take down homes that need to come down, and was told it is covered by Strong Communities.

Another recalled stopping to look at a recently demolished house across from an auto parts store, saying the change was striking. “This grant has been fantastic,” one member said, adding that while there is not a lot of room left in the award, some funds remain and residents interested in applying should contact city hall.

The city’s record does not state the cost of this particular demolition, how much of the $258,000 award remains, how many demolitions the award has funded to date, or a scheduled demolition date. No resolution number had been assigned on the copy of the resolution in the packet.