A Wisconsin-based housing developer is interested in buying the former Just For Fun Roller Rink in , which was destroyed in what police say was an arson fire allegedly started by two teenagers earlier this year, city officials confirmed this week. So far, the developer, Commonwealth Properties, based in Fond du Lac, is looking at building 50 apartments across three stories at the site, 914 Front St., with 16 one-bedroom units, nine two-bedroom units and 25 three-bedroom units.
Commonwealth sent the city a preliminary sketch of the site on Friday and the company is targeting an Oct. 4 discussion with the . That initial conversation with the elected officials will be intended “to gauge interest for multifamily [housing] on the site prior to submitting a Zoning Hearing application,” City Planner Cody Sheriff said.
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The developers haven’t gained control of the property and are still in negotiation with the property owner, so the project might not happen.” A , causing about $220,000 worth of damage, according to a McHenry Township Fire Protection District report obtained by the Northwest Herald through a Freedom of Information Act request. The fire was considered suspicious when investigators discovered that a witness had seen two juvenile males running from the building, according to the report.
That same witness, said to be a former McHenry police officer, used his vehicle to chase the boys and eventually pursued them on foot to an area near the McHenry Public Libr.