Historic blacksmith shop in Geneva facing possible demolition
The Shodeen Family Foundation is continuing its quest to raze the circa 1843 limestone blacksmith shop at the Mill Race property, 4 E. State St., Geneva, insisting in documents that the structure cannot be reused, repurposed or relocated.
The Geneva Historic Preservation Commission has scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 at City Hall, 109 James St., to consider requests to remove the structure's historic landmark designation and to allow its demolition.
Preservationists are expected to oppose the demolition. David Patzelt, representing the Shodeen Family Foundation, is expected to argue the structure is too expensive to repurpose at $1,000 per square foot - $2 million - and should be razed to allow redevelopment.
"How do you pay to save it?" Patzelt said. "Shodeen is very experienced and has shown over the 60 years that we've been in business that (we) can repurpose and rehabilitate and reuse historic structures when appropriate and when financially feasible."
These include Dodson Place, The Herrington Inn, The Pump House, Geneva on the Dam and Eastview House, Patzelt said.
"However, in this case, Shodeen completed a cost analysis, and the city's own consultants ... said it was not financially feasible to rehabilitate or repurpose the building," Patzelt said. "Ultimately, the question is, if somebody wants to save it and repurpose it, how do you come up with the dollars to pay for it."
Known as the Alexander Brothers Blacksmith Shop, the 30-by-48-square-foot structure was described in the preliminary historic evaluation of the site as "one of the few examples of pre-1850 commercial or industrial buildings in Geneva and is among the oldest of its kind in the entire Fox Valley."
The blacksmith shop was listed on the Landmarks Illinois' most endangered historic sites in 2018.
"I do have plans to speak at the hearing, opposing demolition," said Kendra Parzen, advocacy manager for Landmarks Illinois. "I am so hopeful that there is a solution that will work for the owner and also allow Geneva to keep this important resource."
Shauna Wiet, chairwoman of the Kane County Historic Preservation Commission, stated in a text that the commission was opposed to the blacksmith shop's demolition.
"The Kane County Preservation Commission will be filing a letter in support of the building, including its relevance to the proposed fabulous Fox River Trail, which will cover eight counties from Wisconsin to Ottawa."
Archie Bentz Jr. included the Alexander Brothers Blacksmith Shop in his book, "Refueling the Past" about the history of gas stations and blacksmith shops. He wrote his book in conjunction with the historical societies in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and Elburn, which assisted in his research.
"Most blacksmith shops were wooden frame buildings," Bentz said. "Very few were made of stone. That is a unique thing."
Patzelt said preservationists wanted a little more time to find a new use for the old blacksmith shop and a way to finance the rehabilitation.
"They have had years," he said, "and they have been unable to find either of the two."