The Village of Oak Park recognized seven Historic Preservation Award winners at a Jan. 23 ceremony that celebrated the homeowners, architects and contractors whose recent work contributed to the historic fabric of the village.
This year’s winners include a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home, a home with a second story addition and several other restorations and renovations.
The Wright-designed home at 404 Home Avenue was built in 1898. The George Smith House received a restoration award for what the committee called a “major restoration of a ‘hidden gem’ in the Ridgeland Historic District.
The Shingle-style home with Prairie School influences was in need of serious attention when owners, William and Frederick Grier purchased the house. Working with Robert Jahn Construction, the couple undertook extensive interior and exterior restorations to reveal the home’s original features. The house will be featured on the Wright Plus Housewalk this May.
We covered the project in August, https://ow.ly/MIna50ULZv7
The house at 604 Woodbine Avenue received an award for restoration and renovation. The circa-1900 home is a two-story stucco house. The rehabilitation work included renovating the interior and façade of the home and adding a dormer to facilitate access to the attic. The architect and contractor gave special consideration to the dormer design given the home’s location in an historic district. The dormer’s gable design is architecturally consistent with the existing gabled roof. Homeowners Robert Picchiotti and Elizabeth Berg worked on the project with architect Steven Feldman and contractor Nelson Architect.
A home at 312 N. Euclid Avenue won an award for restoration for the major restoration of the home’s front porch. The C.H. Hill House was built in 1904 by the architect team of Patton and Miller. Over time, the original porch had been altered. Working with Kimberlee Smith of Smith Architecture, Ltd. and contractor Nexave Construction and Renovation Inc., homeowners Abe Chernin and Sarah Coleman said they took pains to return the porch to its original configuration.
Wednesday Journal covered the project in full here: https://ow.ly/exXU50ULZzr
An additional award was given to 606 Forest Avenue for a second-floor addition to the circa 1905 home. The home was originally a 1.5 story Queen Anne-style home with Craftsman influences built by F. Meyer for William Meilahu. To add the new second floor, which includes a primary suite, updated hall bath and bedrooms, and a new work-from-home space, the existing dormers were lifted and the roof slope behind the dormers was raised. Owners Luis Pagan and Diane Derige worked with architect Keith Jones of Studio Integra Ltd. on the project.
Homeowners Mark Bouman and Mary Jane Keitel, working with contractors Janik Custom Millwork and Thomas Lealiou of Nighthawk Woodworks, won an award for their home, 850 Fair Oaks Avenue. They replaced a deteriorating 8×6 light bowed window in their 1922 Colonial Revival home with an exact replica.
At 205 South Harvey Avenue, owners received an honorable mention award for renovation and addition. Built in roughly 1900, the home is in the Vernacular style. Little is known about the home’s original construction, but the nomination noted that over the years, the home was subject to many complaints by neighbors and homeowners, suggesting some changes were made without permits. The home also went through at least two fires, in 1963 and around 1985. Homeowners Josh and Megan Abrego worked with architect MB Design and Build and contractor Martin Buka on an extensive rehabilitation of the home.
Another honorable mention award, this time for an addition, was bestowed on 606 North East Avenue, a Queen Anne-style home built around 1898. Homeowners Jessica and Paul Noel worked with architect Christopher J. Bremer of Compass Architecture, LLC and contractor Matt Jacknow of Jacknow Construction on the project. They removed the existing porch and built a new, deeper front porch with a curved design.
“This year, there were a lot of interesting, very well-done projects,” said Atefa Ghazawi, an urban planner in historic preservation with the village.
Nominations for 2025 awards can be made online, and any resident, building owner, member of a local preservation or historical society, and member of a local board or commission can submit a nomination to the committee for consideration. Awards address historic preservation and sustainability.
Residential and commercial projects are considered in the categories of restoration, rehabilitation, adaptive use, and additions/new construction. An additional award for stewardship is occasionally considered for ongoing projects that primarily consist of maintenance of an historic property.
To be considered, projects must have taken place within the last five years and must be within the village boundaries. The properties do not have to be in an historic district. Interior as well as exterior work can be considered.
Nominations typically close in October. On-line nominations can be made here: https://ow.ly/uTiS50ULZBA