Shuttered pawn shop near Seventh Street and Broadway in Rockford to be razed
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A former pawn shop near the corner of Seventh Street and Broadway will be torn down by a neighboring business with help from the city.
The shuttered 7th Street Pawn & Gift, 1512 Seventh St., has been a source of complaints for vandalism, trespassers and illegal dumping, according to the city. Premier Woodwork Inc., a 30-year-old high-end commercial and residential custom woodworking business, plans to purchase the property and tear it down.
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The building is now owned by the Winnebago County trustee program, which obtained it due to years of unpaid taxes. Premier Woodwork, 1522 Seventh St., has the high bid to buy the property, according to the city. The company’s goal is to remove a blight near its business, City Administrator Todd Cagnoni told aldermen last week.
“This property has been a blight and we’ve received a number of complaints on it,” Cagnoni said last week. “This solely a blight reduction project at this point in time.”
To aid with the demolition, the city would provide up to $80,000 in funding from its Broadway tax-increment finance district, which has funds set aside for economic development purposes. Cagnoni said the TIF would be refunded with money council members previously set aside from the federal American Rescue Plan.
Aldermen voted 11-0 on Monday to approve the use of funds, which would be reimbursed to Premier Woodwork for demolition costs.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
