Niles Demolishes Former Leaning Tower YMCA, Paving Way for New Development; Landmark Spared

The village of Niles, Illinois started tearing down the Leaning Tower YMCA building on Monday.

The Y structure consists of a nine-story building with 197 units, which includes both a hotel and individual room occupancy residences. Adjacent to this is a recreational facility featuring amenities such as a gymnasium, two swimming pools, squash courts, areas for weights and general workouts, along with various other spaces. The recreational center shut down in 2020. , and the residential tower was completed the next year.

Early Monday morning saw the commencement of demolition starting with the entrance area of the YMCA located at 6300 West Touhy Avenue in Niles. The event was notably kicked off by Mayor George Alpogianis using an excavator for the initial breakdown.

In March 2024, the village bought the YMCA property, which spans six and a half acres, for $2.1 million. And intends to convert it into a multi-purpose project featuring food establishments, shops, and leisure activities. The community’s proposal encompasses designing a walkable public square.

The teardown that started on Monday impacts only the YMCA building and does not affect the distinctive landmark at the forefront of the property.

The Leaning Tower of Niles is a smaller copy of Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, built in 1934 by businessman Robert Ilg as a means to conceal a water tank.

In 1960, Ilg's family gave the tower along with a portion of the park developed for his staff members to build the YMCA, under an understanding that they would keep maintaining the Leaning Tower.

The YMCA began operations in 1966. According to a 1986 article in the Chicago Tribune, the Leaning Tower Y was noted for being “among the top 10 YMCAs nationally” based on member counts — boasting over 20,000 yearly members at the time.

Until 2015, when the Village of Niles bought it from the YMCA for $10, the organization also held ownership of the Leaning Tower replica.

Throughout the decades, the Leaning Tower of Niles has emerged as a cherished local icon. In 2019, it gained entry into the National Register of Historic Places.

The Leaning Tower of Niles is set to serve as the centerpiece for the new development.