$2.3M Hinsdale Home To Be Torn Down

HINSDALE, IL – Another historic house in Hinsdale is set to be torn down and replaced.

Karthik and Megan Chandran, the new owners of 337 E. Third St., are requesting a certificate for demolition. They bought the home for nearly $2.3 million last April, according to real estate websites.

Built in 1895, the 2½-story house features Colonial Revival architecture. The Chandrans want to demolish the house, detached garage and pool.

In a January letter to the village, their architect said the house had fallen into disrepair and is not a candidate for rehabilitation.

"With respect to the existing home's architectural significance and our appreciation for its historical context within the Robbins Park Historical District, we propose a new two-and-a-half story home that embraces a European style," architect Raynette Bradford of Hinsdale-based Moment Design said in the letter. "The design of this family home pays homage to the Tudor revival period, featuring a refined aesthetic that harmonizes with the existing character of the neighborhood."

The teardown request is going before the village's Historic Preservation Commission, which meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Village Hall.

As long as the project is code-compliant, the village cannot stop it.

A few years ago, Hinsdale enacted incentives for homeowners to preserve historic houses, rather than tear them down.

Under the incentives, homeowners can propose things such as rear additions while keeping the historic character of their houses.

In return, the village grants property tax rebates, building fee waivers and faster processing of applications.

By contrast, the village has a slower, more involved process for reviewing proposals to demolish historic houses.

Village officials have said the program has seen success.