St. Charles City Council officially landmarks historic home that was slated for demolition last year
Once slated for the wrecking ball, a historic house in downtown St. Charles has been designated a landmark, following a vote this week by the St. Charles City Council.
The house at 217 Cedar Ave., also referred to as the Judge William D. Barry House, for years faced an uncertain future as its owner at the time, Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, pursued city approval to tear it down and reuse the space.
The home’s original owner was a lawyer, a Kane County judge around the time of the Civil War and the first president of the Kane County Bar Association.
Last year, Baker Memorial sought demolition of the Barry House, pitching turning the property into parking spaces. But the St. Charles City Council ultimately denied the church’s request for demolition, and Mayor Clint Hull at the time indicated that the city would keep working with the church to find a solution.
The city landed on subsidizing some of the costs for a potential buyer using funds from the city’s downtown tax increment financing, or TIF, district, which the Barry House lies within.
Under an agreement, Geneva Heights LLC — better known as local developer Bob Rasmussen — was to buy the Barry House and the house next to it from Baker Memorial for a total of $525,000 and restore the Barry House, with $125,000 from the city to help offset the costs. The city is also set to offer up to $50,000 for the developer if he can restore the building’s facade to its original stone condition.
As for the church’s parking concerns, the city agreed to construct at least 10 angled parking spaces along the church. That cost has been estimated at around $250,000, for which TIF funds would also be used.
The developer agreed to landmark the house as part of the agreement, which is the matter that came before the council on Monday.
The home, which is currently undergoing interior renovation and exterior restoration, was nominated for the landmark designation by Rasmussen, of Geneva Heights LLC.
Constructed around 1844 and built of limestone in the Greek Revival style, the house is eligible for landmark status because of its historical significance, according to the city, which has pointed to Barry’s significance as a judge and attorney and his connections to Gen. John F. Farnsworth.
The city’s Historic Preservation Commission held a public hearing on the landmark nomination in June, and the commission recommended approval of the nomination. The matter then went on to the City Council Committee of the Whole, which also recommended approval.
The landmark designation ultimately came before the council on Monday for final approval, and was OK’d as part of the meeting’s consent agenda.