Updated: A little after 2 a.m. Sunday, a house pulled out of its parking spot on Palatine and headed to its new home ten blocks away. Literally.
As you might imagine, it was a slow, painstaking process. The truck moved only a couple miles per hour, and it stopped every few feet as crews checked the house, surrounding trees and overhanging wires from every angle.
Dozens of neighbors gathered to watch the event.
One man even played “The Saints go Marching in” on his trumpet.
As the home creeped toward intersections, like here on Palatine and 36th St., utility crews removed overhanging wires. In some cases, they had to hold up the wires while the house squeezed underneath.
New owner Steven Flynn (on the right) watched as the house made its way up steep Phinney Ave. to its new parking spot at 4020 Evanston. “It all started with the rug in my dining room,” he jokes. “One thing led to another.” Flynn said he was growing tired of his small, flimsy house when he saw the two-story home on Palatine. It was scheduled for demolition, but Flynn worked fast to line up the arrangements to buy the home and move it to his property.
While the move was scheduled to be completed at 7 a.m., crews were just backing the house into its new lot at 11 a.m.
The transport took longer than expected, as the house’s height combined with steep streets had line crews scrambling at every intersection. When asked if this would cost him a lot more, Flynn replied, “Yes, yes it does,” before running over to help crews move a board into position.
It was also a little tricky backing the home down the incline into the lot.
But the house’s new neighbors were happy to see the new addition. “I’m glad you saved that old house,” one woman told Flynn. An amazing thing to watch.
Update: Fremont Universe reader David has video. Thanks David!
