A home in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, set to be featured on HGTV’s “Windy City Rehab” show, has been given a stop work order.
The Department of Buildings confirmed the order was issued Tuesday in the 1900 block of North Hoyne Avenue after officials said “a new garage and roof deck were constructed at this property without a permit.”
The stop work order means a mandatory $1,000 fine for the building’s owner along with an additional $500 fee if the owner applies for a permit to come into compliance with the violation, according to Gregg Cunningham with the Department of Buildings.
“The Department of Buildings takes this issue very seriously,” Cunningham said in a statement. “The permitting process ensures that buildings are constructed in compliance with all applicable building and zoning codes. 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. It can also result in fines and costly repairs or remediation work by the owner in order to bring the project into compliance.”
HGTV said in a statement it was aware of the stop worker order at the property in Chicago and said the “appropriate parties are in communication with local building officials and working to resolve any outstanding issues.”
Greymark Development Group, owned by “Windy City Rehab” co-star Donovan Eckhardt, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Our first goal is to work with owners to correct issues and come into compliance with City Code,” Cunningham said. “The Building Department will continue to closely monitor work being performed by Greymark Development and we will not hesitate to take further enforcement action against the developer if necessary.”
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Earlier this year, HGTV said the new Chicago-based series was “on pace to rank as the network’s highest-rated freshman series in more than a year.” The network ultimately picked up 10 new episodes for the show’s second season, calling it a “millennial favorite.”
The show has garnered more than 9.3 million viewers since its premiere in January, the network reported in February.
Designer Alison Victoria, who previously hosted “Kitchen Crashers” on HGTV, called it her “dream to flip houses” in her hometown.
“But renovating homes in this price point leaves a ton of money on the line,” Victoria said in a statement. “These are high-stakes projects that could spiral out of control at any minute. It’s big risks and big rewards.”
The Chicago Sun-Times reports this isn’t the first stop work order issued at one of the show’s properties.
According to the publication, city officials met with Eckhardt on March 22 after two earlier orders at a different Bucktown project. There, neighbors had complained about noise, trash and unsecured work sites.
