Piece Of Historic Elmhurst Property Somewhere Else

ELMHURST, IL – Last summer, the demolition of the historic house at 292 S. Arlington Ave. in Elmhurst sparked a local preservation movement.

But one small part of the property remains – in a different place.

Last year, Elmhurst residents Kimberley and Jacques Jentel expressed interest in the two-room shed behind the Arlington house. That was after they were contacted by Cathy O'Neill, one of the members of the newly formed Preserve Elmhurst group, about saving the shed because they have an estate-size lot.

The Arlington homeowners, Richard "RJ" Parrilli and his wife, Alyssa Parrilli, agreed to let the shed be moved.

"RJ was very nice. He worked with us and let us know when the demolition crew was coming in," Kimberley said in an interview Tuesday.

Kimberley said she contacted Glen Ellyn-based Spengler Design and Construction for help in moving the shed to her house at 275 W. St. Charles Road, which is a one-acre property.

"They took it apart, put it on a flatbed truck and brought it over here," Kimberley said in an interview. "We had a slab poured for the foundation. We put a new roof on the shed."

On Arlington Avenue, the shed was connected to both electricity and water. The Jentels may do the same.

Kimberley credited Alderman Rex Irby with helping fast-track the process for permits and inspections.

This is the shed as it appeared behind the house at 292 S. Arlington Ave. in Elmhurst. (Courtesy of Kimberley Jentel)

Spengler Design and Construction took the two-room shed apart, hauled the pieces on a flatbed truck and then put it back together at 275 W. St. Charles Road. (Courtesy of Kimberley Jentel)