West Side homeowner fighting to save historic home

[ad_1]

Linda Culver always knew that the coach house behind her family’s house on the West Side was old.

But it wasn’t until the city moved to demolish it that Culver learned the building could have been from the late 19th century – a time when Austin was not part of Chicago.

The city is applying for a demolition permit for the carriage house behind Culver’s family home at 710 N. Lotus Ave. out of concern that the building is unstable and unsafe. There have been hearings about the demolition of the building since May 2020, with the next hearing scheduled for June 28th.

Culver’s family has lived on Lotus Avenue since the 1970s. Her mother has rented the carriage house to several families over the years, but her family is unable to keep it up and it has fallen into disrepair.

Still, Culver said she could tell by the construction and architectural style that the building was built in a bygone era. She reached out to Preservation Chicago in hopes of confirming her suspicion and gathering evidence to prove to the city that the house was worth saving.

“We didn’t know how old it was or how important it was until recently,” said Culver.

Executive Director Ward Miller and Max Chavez, Director of Research and Special Projects, said they could see at a glance that the house was a relic with a precious history to preserve.

The coach house appears to be built in the Italian architectural style, which can be recognized by the narrow windows with carved hooded strips. This architectural style was popular in Chicago during a narrow window between the 1860s and 1870s, Chavez said, potentially causing the house to live up to 160 years.

“It has a physical structure that looks very unique and very different from anything in the area and even Chicago as a whole,” said Chavez. “The rough condition does not always require demolition. This building is really important and you can only see it by looking at it. “

After researching records and archival materials, Chavez determined that the carriage house was likely built on property by CC Merrick, a railroad manager who owned much of Austin before the neighborhood was incorporated into Chicago.

Records show that there were very few houses in the area at the time of construction. Much of the land that would become Austin was farmland, Chavez said. The building was likely designed to serve an agricultural purpose, such as housing farm workers, Chavez said.

The long narrow windows and dome shapes above indicate that the building was designed in the Italian style. (Provided)

“If it’s a farm building … I think that certainly speaks for a time in Austin that was no longer really reflected in the city,” said Chavez.

Today the Remise is in dire need of renovation. The roof of the building has a hole made by a branch. Culver’s family were unable to repair the roof, which eventually caused one of the walls to deteriorate.

Mimi Simon, a spokeswoman for the city’s building department, said the city is moving towards demolition as there are signs that the carriage house may collapse soon and the town “has no records to suggest that the carriage house has any significant historical or historical value has a listed value ”.

“The city’s top priority is public safety,” Simon said in a statement. In order to stop the demolition, “they must at least submit a structural engineering report, which determines the load-bearing capacity of the building, which the city does not yet have. Ultimately, however, it is up to the judge to postpone a hearing or to continue with the demolition. “

Culver hopes to finally get the funds to fix the roof, stabilize the walls, and hollow out the interior, she said. She hopes that the house can be saved and restored instead of demolished because it still has a lot of potential. Its old style gives it a “vintage chic … architectural swag” that shouldn’t be forgotten, she said.

“What was really beautiful were the windows. … Those huge, beautiful long windows go all the way down to the floor, ”said Culver.

In the meantime, Preservation Chicago is trying to find documents, permits, or physical evidence to back up their appeal to the city to spare the Remise. Buildings as old as the coach house are not well documented, Chavez said.

If the building is preserved, it could still be useful to the neighborhood after restoration as a rental or as a community asset like a museum documenting Austin’s history.

“It speaks to a time in the history of Austin – and Chicago’s history, really – that is just not well documented. Especially with so many buildings burning in the Great Fire, there aren’t necessarily many old buildings from that time anymore, especially so far out, ”said Chavez.

Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, journalist-operated newsroom under 501 (c) (3). We make every penny that reports from Chicago’s neighborhoods.

CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org



[ad_2]