Article updated: 5/9/2013 7:19 PM

St. Charles man explains why ‘complicated’ addition has taken decades

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Cliff McIlvaine, who was sued by the city of St. Charles in an effort to get him to finish a project that he began in 1975, stands on a landing between his original home to the left and new, super-insulated addition on the right, which he hopes to turn into a museum.

Harry Hitzeman | Staff Photographer

Clifford McIlvaine, a St. Charles homeowner under fire for a long-running construction project, displays a steel Spanish tile section of a specially designed roof he planned to install on his home.

Harry Hitzeman | Staff Photographer

Clifford McIlvaine, a St. Charles homeowner under fire for a long-running construction project, talks Thursday outside his home on the 600 block of Prairie Street. A judge last week gave the city permission to make repairs and send McIlvaine the bill.

Harry Hitzeman | Staff Photographer

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Why has it taken Clifford McIlvaine decades to finish an addition to his St. Charles home?"It's complicated," said the 71-year-old after offering the local media a tour of his property Thursday. "It's not a simple home structure. That's what people don't understand. What is the crime for taking too long to do something? I should be commended for taking time to do it right."

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