Village to Raze Boarded-Up Restaurant

Shorewood will front the money — up to $60,000 — to raze the old Riverbrook Restaurant, a boarded-up building at the village's western border.

The village will recoup the cost to raze the building at 1111 E. Capitol Dr. through a special assessment on the owner's tax bill, according to an agreement approved by the Village Board Tuesday.

The property is owned by Sunrise Shorewood WI Senior Living, LLC, which bought the former restaurant in 2008 with plans to develop it into a $16 million senior facility. The plans were scrapped due to the recession.  

Village Manger Chris Swartz said he hopes to get bids within 30 days. The work to develop a plan for the razing, including asbestos and hazardous material review, will be completed by Sigma Engineering.

Trustee Jeff Hanewall said the village can’t demolish the building without reports of vandalism or damage, but the building needs to come down.