More Historic Home Teardowns In Hinsdale Planned

HINSDALE, IL – Demolitions of two homes in Hinsdale's Robbins Park Historic District are planned, but a local panel rejected the design for the replacement house in one case.

At a meeting this week, the village's Historic Preservation Commission had no problems with the proposed teardown of the 2½-story house at 428 E. First St. The home, which features Prairie School architecture, was built about 1905, with five additions in the years since.

The owner is Martin Stasaitis. The home was purchased for nearly $3 million last June, according to real estate websites.

Attorney Peter Coules said his client worked with neighbors on the design of a new house, which he said would fit in with the historic neighborhood.

The house at 428 E. First St. in Hinsdale is set for demolition. It has five additions over more than a century. (David Giuliani/Patch)

The existing house, he said, includes a "hodgepodge" of additions.

"The house is very disjointed inside," Coules said. "They don't have any of the original windows. They don't have any of the original woodwork."

Architect Michael Abraham said the goal was to design a house that fit into the neighborhood and looks like it's a century old, but has been remodeled.

The commissioners approved the demolition and the planned new house. Commissioner Chris Elder joked to Abraham, "Can you do the (house) that's going next to me shortly. I would like to have something like this here."

The other house proposed for demolition is at 223 E. Eighth St., owned by Jon and Jessica Springer. Built in 1978, the two-story home was bought in September for $1.8 million, real estate sites show.

"I think we're talking about preservation vs. demolition in most house cases," Patrick Fortelka of Moment Design told the commission. "I think this house is kind of an outlier in that. Nobody likes it."

According to Hinsdale documents, the home features the Shed style of architecture, which is rare in the village.

Commissioner Richard Olsen said he did not like the arrangement of doors and windows in the proposed new house.

"I think it's a great-looking (planned) house," Olsen said. "I just don't know that it's appropriate in the context of a historic district."

The commission unanimously approved the demolition, but voted 3-1 against the design of the new house. Olsen, Elder and Shannon Weinberger were in the majority, while Bill Haarlow dissented.

That means the matter must come to the elected Village Board, which next meets June 10. Under the code, the board's vote is advisory. The homeowners can still get permits if their plan meets the village code.