A retaining wall at the corner of Wicker and Kennedy Avenues in Highland could come down – along with the house it was supposed to protect – if the town and homeowners agree to it.
Public Works Director John Bach and Terry Hodnik, of NIES Engineering of Hammond, told the town council during a recent meeting that instead of absorbing into the grass, water draining from the roof of the house at 8804 Kennedy Ave. is not only pooling in the yard, but pushing silt behind the retaining wall. The silt in turn is bowing the wall and cracking the sidewalk as well as boring holes in the yard and sinking the porch.
NIES Engineering drew up a plan to fix the issue that would solve all the issues, but its cost is $138,000.
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“We sent bids out in May, and none came back, most likely because a lot of places have enough work for the summer,” he said, adding that he asked a contractor with whom they work to bid on it just to get an idea. “The project we designed is right for the job and solves all the problems, but it’s not easy and costs higher than we expected.”
Councilman Konnie Kuiper, D-5th, asked Bach and Hodnik if the property could be purchased and if so, could the house be knocked down and the land be built to the grade level of the South Side Bantam grocery. Bach said it could and that it could be worth seeking a property appraisal and talking to the owners.
“It comes down to diminishing returns,” Bach said. “The wall is also a blind spot to pedestrians and has caused traffic accidents, though not many.”
Bach said he would talk to the property owners to gauge how they may feel about selling the property.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.