On Wednesday, passersby noticed the first signs that the demolition of the old gymnasium of Joliet Catholic High School was imminent.

Nothing has been demolished yet, but a “construction beginning” sign has been put up on Hickory Street and part of an alley will be blocked off on Thursday to make way for the demolition work.

The fitness center and cafeteria below will be demolished in a careful demolition process, while the adjacent apartments in the Victory Center of Joliet senior living complex will remain intact.

“This building will be demolished with the same care with which it was constructed,” said Peter Bohler, project manager at R. Berti Building Solutions and construction manager, as he described some of the challenges ahead.

One challenge will be demolishing the gym and cafeteria without damaging the adjacent buildings, Bohler said Wednesday. The bricks will be removed from the interior wall of the gym using a dentilization process so as not to damage the walls of the apartments, which are actually in a separate but connected building.

Bohler said the demolition also needs to be done in a way that doesn’t dump debris on Jefferson Street, which is also Route 30. The busy road that leads into downtown Joliet runs along the north side of the gym and under the building, which sits on a hill.

“This building will be demolished with the same care as it was constructed.”

— Peter Bohler, Project Manager at R. Berti Building Solutions

The steel beams supporting the gymnasium roof will be removed and cut along the Hickory Street side rather than being torn apart in place.

During demolition, one lane on Jefferson Street and one lane on Hickory Street will be closed temporarily, but not for the entire duration of construction.

Demolition is expected to be completed by the end of November, said Blaine Kline, facility management director for the city of Joliet.

The work began earlier this month but was not visible because it was inside, he said.

“We are doing some interior work to stabilize the building and prepare it for demolition,” Kline said.

The interior of the building is now a dark and gloomy place.

Water on the cafeteria floor from a rainstorm Tuesday night was evidence of a leaky roof, and rotten wood on the gym floor showed the leak was not new.

According to a school history on the Joliet Catholic Academy website, the building was constructed in 1927. Joliet Catholic Academy was formed in 1990 when Joliet Catholic High School merged with St. Francis Academy and moved from the old campus.

The U.S. flag still hangs in the center of the gym, where it was the center of attention during the national anthems before basketball games. Rusty and bent basketball hoops are still attached to several back walls. The balcony that once provided upper-level seating for large crowds during games is now empty.

The room has not been used since 1991, when it served as a temporary home for Plainfield High School students after their school was destroyed in a tornado on August 28, 1990.

The gymnasium and cafeteria were acquired by the City of Joliet in 1997 when the remaining campus of the old Joliet Catholic High School was converted into the Victory Center of Joliet, a privately operated senior living facility.

The city acquired the gym and cafeteria with the vague plan to use the space for community programs. The space was never used and the city did not maintain it. The space has fallen into disrepair over the years, causing concern for Victory Center residents who live in apartments that share walls with the gym.

Victory Centre residents lobbied the city for years to do something with the site before the decision to demolish it was made last year.

The asbestos removal was completed in January.

The cost of demolition is $1.5 million, which is more than the $1.2 million estimate the City Council gave in March when it approved the project. Kline said bids for the work were higher than anticipated in the original estimate.