City delays landmark decision

A St. Charles woman who is fighting an effort to designate her house a historic landmark had three city aldermen in her corner Monday, but she will have to wait another 28 days before finding out where the rest of the council stands.

The city's planning and development committee decided 6-3 to delay voting the landmark designation up or down until Oct. 8, despite three members who say it isn't fair to the homeowner.

Meanwhile, Annshirley Bowie is relying on family, friends and neighbors to help maintain the property at 405 S. Seventh Ave. and make mortgage payments.

The city also is trying to help her advertise the house to potential buyers interested in maintaining its historic integrity.

"I wish this was over, but I appreciate them considering the human side of it," Bowie said Monday.

Bowie received support from 3rd Ward aldermen John McGuirk and Bill Turner, and 4th Ward Alderman Jim Martin. They each voted against tabling the landmark issue and said they were ready to vote it down.

"If the owner doesn't want it, that's enough for me," McGuirk said.

Others were reluctant to make a decision, saying there still might be an opportunity for a compromise.

"At the end of the day, we'd like to see somebody come in and preserve the house," said 2nd Ward Alderman Cliff Carrignan, chairman of the committee.

For the house to become a landmark, the full city council must support a recommendation from the city's historic preservation commission by Oct. 16. A petition nominating the house for the status otherwise would become invalid and a new one couldn't be filed for six months.

Bowie, 67, was recently widowed and wants to sell her 1890s-era Queen Anne house to a developer who plans to tear it down and redevelop the property.

She says the buyer isn't interested if the house becomes a landmark because it would keep him from tearing it down.

Bowie says she has had no other offers for the property, and she continues to struggle with two mortgages. She said she's planning an estate sale to help make payments until the city decides whether the house should be a landmark.

"I'm doing my best," she said. "I'm surviving."