Written By Erin Sauder, The Courier News. October 1, 2014

http://couriernews.suntimes.com/2014/10/01/east-dundee-building-getting-makeover-second-story/

East Dundee building getting makeover, second story

Another downtown East Dundee building is set to get a big makeover.

OTTO President Tom Roeser, owner of the site at 220 N. River St., plans to expand and change the design of the building to create office space for about 30 people.

“What [the tenants] want is 11,000 square feet and the building is only 6,000 square feet so we’re going to put a second story on,” Roeser said. “And my intention was to always have the look of the building fit the period of the other buildings in the downtown. And the red brick is way out of place for the downtown area.”

Roeser did not specify which company is taking the space but said demolition on the building will likely happen next week.

Initially, there was talk that the former Rakow office furniture building would be transformed into a two story structure that would be home to two restaurants.

But Roeser said the office space will create more foot-traffic downtown East Dundee.

“An office with 25 or 30 people will help the restaurants at lunch,” he said. “And it doesn’t hurt the parking, which is really a problem. So [this business] winds up being a better fit for the critical mass of the downtown.”

Lamp Construction has been engaged to manage the project, Roeser said. He anticipates it will take about nine months to complete.