LFPF Board of Directors Statement to the City Council Regarding
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Spring 2021 Inside: Camp Rosemary Preservation Alert: LFPF Board of Directors Statement to the City Council Regarding Proposed Expansion of Lake Forest Library, page 2 1 Preservation Foundation Board of Directors Statement to the City Council Regarding the Proposed Expansion of Lake Forest Library On March 15th, the Lake Forest Library went before the City Council to discuss a proposed Library capital improvement campaign that proposes a greatly expanded and reimagined Library building. The LFPF Board of Directors has been following this proposal closely. We recognize that changing needs and technologies necessitate modernizing and perhaps expanding the building, however, as we stated in our Fall 2020 issue of Preservation, we are greatly concerned about the proposed addition’s overall size and architectural compatibility with the original historic 1931 building’s classical design, as represented in preliminary plans floated by the Library Board. The following is a statement submitted by the Preservation Foundation Board of Directors to the City Council in advance of the March 15th meeting. Dear Mayor Pandaleon and Members of the City Council: Preservation Foundation Board of Directors recognizes that changing As you are all aware, a notable thing happened this past year with needs and technologies necessitate modernizing and perhaps many historic residential properties in Lake Forest. After years of expanding the building. However, services and spaces that are desired languishing on the market, large historic homes began to sell, fueled in the new addition, as well as parking and ADA accessibility, should by many factors including changing buyer needs, and a desire for be integrated into the new addition while sensitively addressing the more space, high-quality schools, civic institutions, city services, and building’s original architecture rather than juxtaposing a building natural beauty. Buyers of these properties have chosen to make a addition of boxes clad in the latest design fad. substantial investment in the historic fabric of Lake Forest and many As the City Council considers the important “big picture” issues, will choose to invest further by expanding and modernizing their including the cost to taxpayers, the potential duplication of services new homes for the 21st century. Each within the community, and the overall will be held to the high standards for scope of any expansion, we ask that architectural compatibility, harmony, you give careful consideration to the and respect for historic integrity that is following concerns: embodied in the requirements of The 1. Fixing the dome, which has been City of Lake Forest Historic Preservation wrapped in a white tarp for three years, is Ordinance. paramount to this discussion. The process Lake Forest is justifiably proud of its for considering the size and scope of magnificent residential architectural any expansion plan will continue to heritage. But it is precisely the city’s take time. But issues relating to historic historic civic structures that authentically building maintenance are immediate. distinguish Lake Forest and contribute Addressing the basic ongoing upkeep of the greatly to what makes it a desirable place building envelope is the most important to live. City Hall, Gorton Community and cost-effective preservation treatment Center, the Senior Center at Dickinson for extending the life of the building and Hall, Elawa Farm, Market Square, Lake protecting its collections. Forest Train Station, and historic houses 2. Any expansion of the library needs to of worship such as The First Presbyterian be “right-sized”, both for the community, Church, St. Mary’s Church, and The for the site, and for the building. Issues Church of the Holy Spirit, all contribute Lake Forest Library related to life safety, ADA compliance, to a unified composition of historic and structural integrity should be the civic structures. And all in the past 20 highest priority. Adding to the building footprint and square footage years have successfully found ways to modernize and expand their should be considered if it’s necessary for functions that don’t duplicate facilities while sensitively rehabbing and respecting the original those that already exist within the community. historic integrity of their buildings. 3. Any expansion to the library should participate fully in the classical The successful modernization and sensitive rehabilitation of each of tradition that Edwin Hill Clark established as the “language” of the these civic structures, plus countless historic homes, didn’t happen by building’s architecture. The parts (new and old) should act as an accident. It is the result of careful planning and review processes that ensemble, not in contrast and not as “then and now”. An expanded date back to the 1960s with the creation of the Building Review Board library should function as “one library” not “the old wing and the and then strengthened 20 years ago with the adoption of an Historic new wing”. And it should express that unity of function with an equal Preservation Ordinance. These set standards for compatibility and aesthetic unity. These are the very standards to which other historic harmony to which all historic property owners and stewards of property owners and stewards of historic buildings in Lake Forest’s historic civic buildings have been held. historic districts have been held. Imagine if many of the recently purchased historic homes were As we have stated to representatives of the Library Board as well as permitted to be expanded in a manner that bears no architectural publicly on several occasions, the Preservation Foundation stands relation to the original historic structure — simply following the ready to work collaboratively with the Library to help achieve a latest design fad merely to make it eye-catching. What would it mean solution that respects the historic integrity of the building and works for the legitimacy of our Historic Preservation Ordinance and the within the classical language of its architecture. value of other properties throughout our historic districts? The future of the Library as an institution is important, but the future Edwin Hill Clark’s 1931 designed library is surely the centerpiece of the physical building is no less important. of our town’s ensemble of historic civic structures. It is one of the most architecturally significant small-city libraries in the U.S. The We thank you for your consideration. 2 Lake Forest’s Preservation Foundation: Protecting the Historic Visual Character of Lake Forest Since 1975 and across a few generations, Block to the south, the Gordon and Griffith Lake Forest’s own independent, not-for-profit (Einstein’s) Blocks to the north on Western, historic preservation advocacy organization has and the 1899 City Hall with its tower to the worked to pay forward the City’s remarkable southwest. With the Federal Savings building, built and landscaped distinction. A largely then for Carl Krafft, Shaw stepped down volunteer organization, with its dynamic to two and half stories and then in his south executive director Marcy Kerr since 2007, the building for Market Square to two stories. Lake Forest Preservation Foundation (LFPF) The two towers pick up on the spire at City Lake Forest Train Station advises the City’s boards and commissions Hall, taller even, indicating that this was the on proposals for development. The group, town center, hierarchy dictating that the most through its board of directors, advocates for important thing should be the strongest, tallest, compatibility with existing built, designed, or brightest visually. The long park reflected the and natural elements that distinguish this community’s focus on natural open space, even community among Chicago’s 200 suburbs. We among its businesses. The varying facades of the favor development that keeps the community south and north long buildings spilling from vital, evolving consistently with its past Western Avenue into the Square break up the careful planning. This planning DNA goes scale to convey a sense of a diverse streetscape, back to the City’s 1857 railroad garden-city- as elsewhere in the nearby area. suburban-naturalistic town layout east of the Shaw and his committee made sure his UP/Metra North tracks by Almerin Hotchkiss, development, a big change in town, fit into its commissioned by Chicagoans’ Lake Forest context. The Preservation Foundation recognizes Association, 1856. that change is a sign that our community is As the town grew it evolved out of this model, successful. We welcome change because that rooted in landscape, with zoning and a Plan is how our community will continue to evolve Market Square Commission established in the 1920s. As and grow. However, that change needs to be developers and new residents by the 1960s carefully guided so that this community does and early 1970s began to disrupt the historic not lose its cherished historic character and continuity of local growth, the Preservation architectural assets. LFPF assists the City Boards group broke off from the History Center’s and Commissions in this stewardship. predecessor Historical Society to advocate for At the present time, at least three significant managed change. center of town proposals are before these City How is the Preservation organization different boards and commissions that have the potential from the City’s Preservation Commission to challenge their neighbors through added or the History Center? The Historic structural density; crowding of traffic, access, Preservation Commission is an instrument and parking; and features and colors that of City government, its charge embedded in may be self-referential rather than respectful ordinances to oversee continuity within our of surroundings. These current proposals historic districts and of our historic landmarks. include the 20,000 square foot expansion of The vital History Center collects and promotes Lake Forest Library, Phase 3 of the McKinley knowledge of local history, though in a Road condominium development, and Gorton Community Center descriptive way rather than the prescriptive redevelopment of the First Midwest Bank site manner of the Preservation group.