Fox Valley: Glorious past, grim future

Glorious past, grim future
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Courier News on 05/10/2011 09:50:00

People might know it best as “the old case factory.” Or Elgin-American Inc.
Or as Katy Industries. Or the Simpson Electric plant.

For much of the city’s history, this sprawling  brick and stone complex —
which occupies the entire six acres bordered  by Dundee Avenue, Slade Avenue,
Liberty Street and Chester Avenue — was  Elgin’s second-biggest employer.
Only Elgin National Watch Co. sent more pay  envelopes out into the community.
But since the last manufacturing  operations moved out about eight years ago, it
has become an ugly, sad  ghost of its former glory. And over the next few weeks,
it will follow  the watch factory into the realm of nostalgia.
Already, a small crew of demolition people is  working to remove asbestos from
inside the buildings. As soon as they’re  done — expected to be before the
end of this month — American  Demolition Corp. will set up a crane and start
tearing down every  building and ripping up every parking lot until only vacant
lawn  occupies the acreage.
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