Elmhurst to demolish former Lizzadro Museum

Wilder Park’s open green space will grow after the approval to demolish the former Lizzadro Museum building later this summer.

The Elmhurst Park District Board approved the project at its April 10 meeting, according to a news release. The building is at the southeast corner of the park and has been vacant since 2019. Removing the building will decrease the district’s utility costs and open up the area to potential future uses.

The Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Arts opened in Wilder Park in 1962. The building was constructed specifically to house the museum’s unique collections of gemstones, rocks and minerals. The museum moved to a larger facility in Oak Brook in 2019. Under the terms of the agreement between the Lizzadro Family Foundation and the park district, the Wilder Park building became the property of the park district.

In 2018, Dewberry Architects assessed the building for the park district. At the time, they estimated it would cost $1.2 million to bring the building up to code. That same year, the district approached local nonprofit and community groups to determine if any might be interested in submitting a proposal for use of the site. No viable proposals were submitted and the district decided to demolish the building.

The project is expected to begin in early August. The area will be restored, including fill and grading.

Visit epd.org for the latest updates on the project.