180-year-old St. Charles home could be demolished to make way for parking lot
A 180-year-old St. Charles home has evaded demolition for years despite owners’ attempts to level the structure and convert the site to a parking lot.
But its time may soon be up after a planning and development committee recommended approval for the first steps toward demolition.
The house at 217 Cedar Ave. in downtown St. Charles, known as the Barry House, was built in 1844. It was the home of Judge William D. Barry in the mid-1800s, and Abraham Lincoln is believed to have stayed in the home while visiting Barry.
Baker Memorial United Methodist Church has owned the Barry House since 1993 and has been seeking permission to demolish it since 2017 to make way for a parking lot.
Because the house is in a historic district, the church needs to obtain a certificate of appropriateness from St. Charles before the building can be demolished.
The church has petitioned the city for a certificate of appropriateness multiple times over the years. However, various committees denied those requests.
But on Monday, members of the St. Charles Planning and Development Committee recommended approval of the certificate in a 5-3 vote.
The landmark home recently was named as one of the most endangered historic sites in the state by the group Landmarks Illinois.
Church representatives Brian Harris, Pastor David Aslesen and attorney John Hoscheit attended this week’s committee meeting. Dozens of members of the church also were there.
Harris told committee members that the house has become a financial burden for the church.
“We just got to this point where there is no other path forward,” Harris said.
Harris said that if someone wanted to move the house to another location, the church would sell it for $1.
While committee members were responsive to the church’s request, seven people spoke during public comment against demolishing the building.
Among the residents trying to convince committee members not to condemn the home were former and current Historic Preservation Commission members, Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley, and a former owner of the home.
Local historian Steve Gibson said the vote was about more than just the Barry House, but a precedence for years to come.
“Tonight’s vote will not just decide the fate of one building. It determines the direction of our city’s preservation values for years to come,” Gibson said. “Allowing demolition in this case, for just a few parking spaces, sends a clear message that any historical structure, regardless of its significance, is vulnerable.”
Despite residents’ concerns, the committee recommended approval of the certificate of appropriateness in a split vote. The request will go before city council members at their May 19 meeting for possible final approval.