On the northwest corner of Touhy and Lincoln avenues in Lincolnwood, there’s a construction project. That’s obvious to anybody who happens by. But to village officials and some Lincolnwood residents, it’s akin to an exorcism.
Bad vibes emanated from that place for years. It’s the former site of the Purple Hotel, which used to be a classy Hyatt with live entertainers such as Barry Manilow. Even in its better years, it got notoriety as the site of a mob hit. It slid down the pole of respectability over the years, losing its Hyatt tie-in and finally getting named after the unique color of its bricks. The old Purple became known as a meetup site for “swingers” events, among them something called the Midwest Holiday Fetish Fair & Marketplace, and for raunchy, drug-fueled parties that convicted political fixer Stuart Levine admitted to in court.
