The upcoming second season of Windy City Rehab could be in jeopardy after the stars of the popular HGTV home-flipping series ran afoul with the Chicago Department of Buildings over dozens of complaints and code violations.
As a result, the city indefinitely revoked the ability of hosts Alison Victoria Gramenos and Donovan Eckhardt to file for permits. Eckhardt may also lose his real estate developer and general contractor licenses for a year, Chicago Block Club reported Tuesday.
According to a June 20 letter obtained by the publication, multiple Windy City Rehab projects operated without permits or beyond the scope of what was allowed. It also alleges that a number of projects failed to comply with safety codes, employed unlicensed workers, and were sold and occupied without final inspections.
The city is currently reviewing an appeal by Gramenos to reinstate her permit privileges. Officials denied a similar request from Eckhardt on May 28, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. As for the year-long revocation of Eckhardt’s developer and contractor licenses, the matter is still under review.
It’s unclear how this recent spat with the Department of Buildings will affect filming for Windy City Rehab’s second season. Stop-work orders were issued for several properties, including the former Miko’s Italian Ice building at 1846 N. Damen Avenue. Gramenos and Eckhardt paid $949,000 for the Bucktown property earlier this year, according to Chicago Magazine.
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