HP's Last 'Ridgewood' Building Will Be Demolished

HIGHLAND PARK, IL - Highland Park’s last link to Ridgewood, the estate of former Kimball Piano president Curtis Kimball, is about to meet the wrecking ball.

The 1920-built coachhouse of Kimball, nephew of piano maker and business founder William Kimball, sold for $765,000 earlier this week as a teardown, according to Crain’s Chicago. Seller Susan McCabe got approval from Highland Park to demolish the last remaining building on the estate last year.

Located at 750 Kimball Road, right off Green Bay Road, the old building was simply beyond repair, listing agent Margie Brooks said.

“It’s been bastardized over the years and had a lot of additions,” Brooks said. “Anything historic is gone.”

Curtis Kimball took over for his uncle as president of Kimball Piano in 1904, and a year later bought the property that was later home to the Ridgewood. He lived there with his wife, Fannie until 1936.

While the final building of the Kimball Estate will be history soon, one smaller tie will still remain in town. The estate’s red brick gates on Green Bay Road and McDaniels Avenue are still intact.

more via Crain’s Chicago