A big wrecking ball was in suburban Niles Monday morning, right near the suburb’s historic “Leaning Tower of Niles” to make way for a giant new development with shopping and dining and more, according to an announcement.
The Leaning Tower YMCA residential building, located at 6300 W. Touhy Ave., was demolished starting at 10 a.m., the announcement said. It’s part of a “significant step” in the village’s plan to revitalize the area, the announcement added.
The famous 90-year-old Leaning Tower of Niles itself — which is owned by the village and sits in front of the YMCA building — will remain.
In 2021, the YMCA said it was permanently closing its leaning tower facility, which housed residents and a gym, citing rising costs of maintaining the aging building, according to media reports. In 2024, the village purchased the 6.6-acre property for $2.1 million, with plans to transform the site into a “mixed-use development featuring retail, dining, and entertainment options.”
The plan is to also create a pedestrian-friendly plaza anchored by the iconic Leaning Tower of Niles, the announcement said, “aligning with the Village’s Comprehensive 2040 Plan to enhance community spaces and economic growth.”
The multi-million dollar plan isn’t Niles’ only economic development effort. underway. In 2024, the village approved a “historic” agreement to move forward on a $440 million project to redevelop the decades-old Golf Mill Town Center mall, approximately four miles northwest of the Leaning Tower location.
The Leaning Tower of Niles, a half-scale replica of Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, was constructed in 1934 by industrialist Robert Ilg to conceal a water tower for his employees’ recreational park, according to the village. “In 1960, Ilg’s descendants donated part of the park for the construction of the YMCA, with an agreement to maintain the tower,” the village said.
The tower has become a beloved landmark over the years, with visitors and tourists frequently stopping to take pictures. According to officials, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.
