Hinsdale's 'Backdraft' Home In Disrepair: Owner

HINSDALE, IL – The Hinsdale house that was filmed in the 1991 Ron Howard-directed movie, "Backdraft," is in disrepair, its owner said this week.

Built in 1890, the house is at 306 E. First St., owned by Mike Persico. It is said to be the only house with Romanesque architecture in Hinsdale.

At Tuesday's Village Board meeting, Persico made the case for the village to give financial incentives for preserving the historic house.

Calling it a local icon, Persico said the house has gone unmaintained for more than half a century.

"When we bought it from the previous owners, the house was in disrepair," Persico said. "Nine out of 10 people would have knocked it down."

He seeks to make exterior improvements such as replacing bricks and the front porch, among other things.

"The prior owners grew ivy," Persico said. "It was there for so long that the trunks were 10 inches in diameter at the base. Imagine what it does to mortar and bricks. It literally destroyed things."

Also at the meeting, Christine Sharma, who owns the house at 518 S. Garfield Ave., called her century-old home a "much tinier icon."

She is seeking the village's help for a new slate roof, replacing the original one.

"We feel really lucky that it was our foot in the door into the community and that there are homes like this for brand-new homeowners to come into the village that aren't $2 million homes," she said.

Village trustees seemed supportive.

"I've admired your house for the last 20 years," Trustee Luke Stifflear said. "It's fantastic."

The other house on the village's list for incentives is 213 S. Clay St. The family wants to build a rear addition and a finished basement, among other improvements.

Owner Marie Jovanova said that when they toured the house, they found a leaky basement, among other issues.

"Then we walked out and saw a beautiful, secluded backyard in a densely populated area. And we saw a beautiful magnolia tree and a garden and raised beds," she said.

She said her friends told her they were crazy to buy a historic home because of the limitations, saying, "You're going to end up living in an old house."

She said her family found a way to preserve the house while improving it.

The village is expected to vote on the incentives for the homeowners at a later meeting.

Patch described the incentive program in a story this week.