Dilapidated Coco's Restaurant In Lake Elsinore To Be Torn Down

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — An empty Coco's Bakery restaurant building in Lake Elsinore that was vacated long ago is finally set for the wrecking ball.

On Tuesday, the Lake Elsinore City Council authorized the city manager to move forward on a $76,103 agreement with Pomona-based Beck Company Inc. to demolish the ramshackle diner at 31706 Casino Drive.

The teardown and rubble removal are expected to begin next month, the city's Building and Safety Manager Bill Belvin told the council Tuesday night.

The vacant Coco's was shuttered several years ago and is a contentious issue for some neighboring businesses and patrons due to the decaying building's prominence as a gathering spot for homeless people. City Councilmember Bob Magee called the empty building a "blight" and "thorn-in-the-side that's caused extreme discontent."

The property was recently purchased and a new Tommy's Express Car Wash was approved by the city for the site. Belvin told the council that construction on the new business was expected to begin in February.

The new property owner reimbursed the city for the cost of the demo plus an additional $7,610 to cover city staff time on the teardown, according to Belvin.