Homewood Public Works crews began demolishing the former Savoia T’Go restaurant at Dixie Highway and Hickory Road on Wednesday, June 15.
On Tuesday, Homewood and Flossmoor firefighters took advantage of the impending demolition to use the building for training exercises.
Homewood Fire Chief Bob Grabowski said topics include building construction, forcible entry and ventilation.
Once the site is cleared, it will be used as a parking lot, according to Mayor Richard Hofeld. Village officials hope to find a developer to build on the site.
In a land-banking move, the village purchased the property for $150,000 in January 2015 after the building had been vacant for about a year.
Village Manager Jim Marino said at the time that owning the property would give the village more control over its redevelopment, helping to ensure future uses fit well with the village’s transit-oriented development plans.