The River Forest Historic Preservation Commission on Monday recognized village homeowners with historic preservation awards for 2023 and 2024.
The village began to recognize property owners for their preservation efforts in 2009, two years after the Historic Preservation Commission was formed.
Chair David Franek has been involved with HPC from its founding and said that all of the seven commissioners work to identify properties that deserve recognition.
“As commissioners, if we see a particular home or project that we think merits consideration, we will knock on doors,” he said. “We’re very user friendly.”
Franek said that the village completed an architectural survey in 2013 that identified 298 historically significant properties in River Forest. That list is available on the village website: https://ow.ly/tjK450TSwsA
Before beginning any construction work on properties that are considered historically significant, the owner must consult with the HPC. The commission cannot prevent construction or alter plans, but it does have 30 days to review the application and make recommendations to preserve the historic and architectural significance of the property and the neighborhood.
Franek said that people sometimes misconstrue the reach of the HPC.
“We’re not the paint police,” he said. “What we do is provide guidance on how to maintain and restore the exterior of your property.”
The HPC reviews certificates of appropriateness for properties in River Forest and looks for exterior projects on historically significant homes that make them award-worthy.
For calendar year 2023, the HPC awarded three homeowners with Historic Preservation Awards.
210 Gale won an award for Streetscape Compatibility for a garage addition. Franek said that the owners replaced the garage with a new one that matches the exterior of their 1895 Victorian home.
727 Keystone won a Renovation Award for a rear addition to the home. “They expanded the floor area, and it really blends in seamlessly with the existing home,” Franek said.
823 Keystone won the Laurel McMahon Restoration Award for work on the home’s siding, roof, front porch and landscaping. Franek called the restoration work “particularly distinguished” and said that the owners used a photo from 1900 to replicate the home’s original exterior. “They’ve done an amazing job,” he added.
For 2024, the HPC recognized one property owner, 1411 Keystone, with the Renovation Award for a rear addition and exterior renovations. Franek singled out the owners for painstakingly matching the brick on the home’s addition to the existing brick on the house, noting that is hard to do.
While HPC has six categories of awards, Franek said they do not always have winners in every category and do not hold awards every year. He said that when they give the awards, it signifies that the homeowners put in a lot of effort.
“The whole process is really one of respect for the craftsmanship that was part of the property originally,” he said. “We’re fortunate that we have a lot of homeowners in our community who really respect that.”
Franek said the HPC awards are a good way to celebrate the efforts and achievements of property owners and that they are a way of recognizing that preservation is integral to the community.
“Many people move to our area for three reasons: proximity to the city, the schools and the built environment,” he said.
“Between Oak Park, River Forest and Riverside, we really have this crescent of historic homes that is very, very difficult to replicate. It is really unusual to have the number of homes of this design quality in one place.”
2024 River Forest Historic Preservation Awards
Nomination forms for River Forest Historic Preservation Awards are available at: https://ow.ly/M9wK50TSwxh
Luke Masella, Deputy Village Clerk/ Management Analyst for the village, said typically the village begins to advertise nominations for the awards in the spring on social media, the village website and in village newsletters. Nominations are due at the end of July, and winners are announced in the fall.
Awards are considered in the following six categories:
Laurel McMahon Restoration Award: The Restoration Award is presented by the Historic Preservation Commission in recognition of an outstanding achievement (completed since January 1, 2017) in returning the exterior of a structure to its original design and condition by repairing or replacing the original architectural detail and materials. The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation shall serve as a guide for the commission.
Streetscape Compatibility Award: The Streetscape Compatibility Award is presented by the Historic Preservation Commission in recognition of an outstanding achievement (completed since January 1, 2017) in building a new structure (or addition) in an architectural style and scale that is compatible with its surrounding historic streetscape.
Adaptive Reuse Award: The Adaptive Reuse Award is presented by the Historic Preservation Commission in recognition of an outstanding achievement (completed since January 1, 2017) in altering a structure’s use to meet contemporary needs in a manner that retains the structure’s viability while respecting its original architectural character and design.
Architectural Details Award: The Architectural Details Award is presented by the Historic Preservation Commission in recognition of an outstanding achievement (completed since January 1, 2017) in restoring an exterior detail element of the structure. Examples of exterior detail elements would include porches, brackets, architectural trim and stained/leaded glass. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation shall serve as a guide for the commission.
Renovation Award: The Renovation Award is presented by the Historic Preservation Commission in recognition of a historically sensitive renovation or addition to a structure (completed since January 1, 2017) in the village that enables continued and/or expanding use.
Jeanette Fields Award of Merit: The Award of Merit is presented by the Historic Preservation Commission in recognition of an outstanding achievement (completed since January 1, 2017) that is outside the scope of the other awards.