Re-Building.com
Re:BUILDING
A preservation editorial newsletter
Volume 27 - April, 2006
Published by Martin Hackl, River Forest, Illinois
A Historic Blunder in Oak Park
Landmark House is Cloned
In a single stroke, three historic Oak Park landmark homes have been ruined simultaneously. That may be a record for Oak Park.
Despite strong misgivings at their May, 2005 meeting, the Oak Park Historic Preservation Commission met again Thursday June 9, and approved a totally outrageous addition the this architecturally significant structure (and unique grouping of structures). This could be one of the greatest blunders committed by the Commission since its founding.
The three Flori Blondeel houses are part of a unique grouping of three Prairie School structures designed by architect John Van Bergen in 1913. All three structures have survived mostly unaltered until this time. The new addition to the middle structure will more than double the size of the house. The new owners have claimed economic necessity, as their primary motive for the alterations. They have also stated that they made great efforts to be sensitive to the architect and his original design.
(Note to self: I wonder if anyone noticed any impish grins on their faces as they made those statements? Or if they were grinning, might those have simply been facial gestures denoting complete ignorance or imbecility?)
When I first saw these drawings, I thought it was a practical joke. It's not a joke. Further than that, I was speechless. Since construction began, many residents in the neighborhood have been speechless as well.
The result of a unique inspiration within the Prairie School of architecture, Van Bergen designed these three buildings together as a symmetrical ensemble, and open space views from all three structures were maximized to great effect. The two outside buildings were oriented to turn their backs to the less pleasant views of their immediate surroundings - a busy street on one side, and the mass of a bulky Victorian on the other. Instead most windows were placed toward the inside of the ensemble with views directed inward towards the intentionally set-aside open spaces.
Here are photos from last year, before construction of the addition:
Now the two outer buildings have lost their valuable views. The huge addition to the center building uses up almost all of what is left of the deep 175 lot, most of which used to be open space in the back. There is now only about 20 feet or less between the back of the addition and the new three-car garage.
Here are the current photos. Warning! Due to their graphic nature of these pictures, anyone sensitive to good architecture, or possessing even a smattering of good taste, should view these at their own risk!
To add insult to injury, even though current zoning for side-yard setbacks is 6 feet in this neighborhood, but because the small original structure is grandfathered in with a 3 foot setback, the village allowed the old setback to extend to the newer structure, which is larger than the original. Furthermore, even though the old garage was demolished, and would normally, therefore, lose its "grandfather" status, a new garage was still also allowed with only a three foot setback.
This mess is a terrible precedent for Oak Park. And since Oak Park is considered a leader when it comes to the preservation of its historic buildings, this kind of thing could also have wider, negative implications throughout the region.
Here is some further background on the Blondeel designs:
http://www.re-building.com/johnvanbergen/blondeelall.html
http://www.re-building.com/johnvanbergen/blondeel2.html
http://www.re-building.com/johnvanbergen/blondeel3.html
http://www.re-building.com/johnvanbergen/blondeel1.html
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