Demolition work begins on Pheasant Run tower

Demolition work started Friday to bring down the last remaining structure at the former Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles.

In a video posted by the city of St. Charles, a wrecking ball can be seen swinging from a crane, striking the hotel tower as a chunk of concrete falls to the ground.

A spokeswoman for the city said it was unclear how long it would take to complete the work.

The tower that once contained guest rooms for the resort is the last building that remains at the popular resort. Other structures that were part of the resort were demolished after teens set fire to some of the buildings in 2022.

The resort was a popular destination for business and leisure travelers that opened in 1963. It expanded through the 1970s and 1980s but ultimately closed in March 2020.

A DuPage County judge in November signed off on demolition work, which was estimated to cost $2.43 million. The property owner is paying for the demolition.

City officials had tried to work with the property owner for nearly a year to fix building code violations and secure the property before taking legal action to seek demolition. A 90-foot crane had sat idle on the property for months until the work started on Friday.

After its closure, the resort property attracted urban explorers and vandals. In a September court filing, city officials said police responded 349 times to the property for trespassing, vandalism and other offenses, including two sexual assaults.

The city envisions a mixed-use development of office and retail on the 34-acre property, which fronts Route 64 at the city’s eastern gateway. Covenants on the property do not allow for residential use, and city officials have said they do not want industrial uses fronting Route 64.