‘Windy City Rehab’ hit with stop-work order

A Bucktown home featured on HGTVs “Windy City Rehab” has been hit with a stop-work order by the Chicago Department of Buildings for doing construction without a permit.

The order halting construction comes two months after “Windy City Rehab” costar Donovan Eckhardt was called to meet with city officials after complaints from neighbors of some of the reality TV show’s projects.

The order Tuesday was over a garage and garage deck at 1906 N. Hoyne Ave. that were built without a permit.

On Wednesday, a big, neon-orange sticker was on the home’s front door barring any work and warning of penalties including “incarceration and fines up to $5,000 for each offense.”

Buildings department spokesman Gregg Cunningham said City Hall has issued a $1,000 fine and will assess an additional $500 on top of the normal $500 permit-application fee.

“Performing work without a permit or beyond the scope of a permit is a serious offense that could pose a threat to construction workers and public safety,” Cunningham said. “It can also result in fines and costly repairs or remediation work by the owner in order to bring the project into compliance.”

He said the city will “closely monitor” Eckhardt’s Greymark Development Group, and “we will not hesitate to take further enforcement action against the developer if necessary.”

Stephanie Zimmermann / Sun-Times

In response to questions, an HGTV spokeswoman said in a written statement: “We are aware of a stop-work order at N. Hoyne Ave. in Chicago. The appropriate parties are in communication with local building officials and working to resolve any outstanding issues.”

City officials met with Eckhardt on March 22 after two earlier stop-work orders at another Bucktown project and complaints from neighbors about noise, trash and unsecured work sites at the show’s properties.

A deputy commissioner and a supervising inspector from the buildings department had called for the March meeting to discuss permit and inspection issues and neighbors’ concerns. Afterward, officials said Eckhardt agreed to address the problems and “be a good neighbor for any current and future construction work.”

The show’s first season featured 11 buildings in hip neighborhoods on the North Side. Viewers followed the ups, downs and drama as designer Alison Victoria — whose full name is Alison Victoria Gramenos — and Eckhardt bought, rehabbed and flipped the properties.

The show has legions of fans. But some neighbors haven’t been as thrilled, complaining about trash, noise and mishaps including a burst water line that flooded a neighbor’s basement at one project and exterior walls that accidentally caved in at another.

After the cave-in, at 1803 W. Wabansia Ave. in Bucktown, the developers were issued two stop-work orders for doing work outside the scope of their permits.

In another case, the city found that one unit of a building Eckhardt rehabbed was already sold and occupied even though it never had a required final inspection. That project wasn’t featured on the TV series.

The Hoyne Avenue home where the latest stop-work order was issued is for sale for $1.43 million — down $20,000 from earlier listings. On the show’s first season, Victoria turned down a would-be buyer for the property who wanted to change elements of her design.

Among the flourishes installed at the home: an antique, giltwood doorframe from southern France installed around the front door with doorknobs Victoria told viewers cost $2,000. The doorknobs were removed after their value was revealed on the show.

Stephanie Zimmermann / Sun-Times

Neighbor Denise Belland said Wednesday she was surprised crews built the garage and garage deck without a permit. “Especially in this neighborhood — if you do anything without a permit, you’re screwed,” she said.

Belland, a longtime Bucktown resident whose home has been in her husband’s family for 67 years, said the show’s construction workers mangled their back fence gate but replaced it after she and her husband complained.

“I have no beef against these people, but I hope somebody nice buys it. That’s all I care about,” Belland said.

Efforts to reach Eckhardt and Victoria for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday.

In March, Eckhardt defended the show in an interview with ABC7 Chicago, saying, “We’re trying our absolute best to be the best neighbors we can. I understand it’s frustrating to live next to construction. But, at the end of the day, I think we’re doing really good work. I’m a neighbor. I live in Bucktown, and I’m proud to drive by every single home we’ve done.”

Stephanie Zimmermann / Sun-Times

HGTV has said “Windy City Rehab” is one of its most popular new series, with 9.3 million viewers in its first month and a half on the air.

The first season’s homes were in Wicker Park, Bucktown, Ukrainian Village, Lincoln Square and Lincoln Park.

In a promotional video, Victoria said her aim was “bringing sexy back to the city.”

“A hundred years from now, people will be saying my name,” she says in the promotion. “I absolutely think I’m changing Chicago one house at a time.”