Is The Wrecking Ball Pointed At Historic Wilmette Home?

WBEZ:

In what could be a stunning architectural loss, a beautiful Wilmette residence with ties to three prominent 20th century architects--including Frank Lloyd Wright--could be demolished by a new owner who inquired last week about razing the site for new construction.

Lost would be the James B. Irving House, built in 1928 on a spacious tree-lined lot on Isabella Street and designed by John S. Van Bergen, a Wright protege who became an important architect designing homes in Oak Park, River Forest and along the North Shore. The parcel includes a smaller home built in 1920 at the rear of the yard--a former temporary residence built by Irving.

Read the whole story: WBEZ

Comments

[Graha11111]

07:53 AM on 04/20/2012

This house was just down the street from mine, I lived in this Van Bergen house in Wilmette that sold for 7.5 million. They fortunately didn't tear it down, they can though. Last time I drove by it, the house was still there.

[ProfessorTypeExPat]

11:50 AM on 02/21/2012

Just another reason that I hate developers. Screw everything, just develop it, pave it, and make money.

THE LINK BELOW BY JUSTMY2CINZ HAS CONTACT INFORMATION IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PRESERVING THESE BUILDINGS. I SENT 3 EMAILS, I URGE YOU TO DO THE SAME!

[justmy2cintz]

10:28 AM on 02/21/2012

Interior photos and more details here. It would be a shame to lose this little gem.

http://www.prairiemod.com/features/2012/02/connect-irving-house-at-risk-the-wrightschindlervan-bergen-connection.html

[sillyfrog]

08:54 AM on 02/21/2012

Maybe the buyer was joking. I once asked Chef Parisi jokingly for ketchup.

[bayside]

08:22 AM on 02/21/2012

They could move it to another location...

[kcwookie]

08:08 AM on 02/21/2012

Guess what. No problem here. This is small government in action. It's his property and he has the right to plow it under. Why should anyone have the right to tell his what to do with his property? I love FLW structures and would love to own on, not to knock down, but to live in. His style is beautiful. But, we live in a conservative-libertarian world that considers preservation efforts to be socialist. Matter of fact, any assistance, or interference from the government is socialism.

Destroying a FLW structure is no different that conservatives wanting to let the polluters pollute.

[TheAntiOkie]

09:05 AM on 02/21/2012

I always wonder:  if someone does not like a house, why buy it, tear it down and build another when they can just go buy a VACANT lot and build THERE.

[Jced]

09:16 AM on 02/21/2012

Location, Location, Location!!!

[kcwookie]

09:22 AM on 02/21/2012

Agreed, but we also live in a greedy, self-centered world.

This country really needs an enema.

[NorquistNemesis]

03:59 AM on 02/21/2012

The Wilmette Historical Society must be very proud.

People who buy these historical treasures should have to sign a contract of understanding as to what they are purchasing and agree the the responsibility that comes with it.

[JTyroler]

03:13 AM on 02/21/2012

Why not destroy a piece of history when it can be replaced with something that will cause awe in people as they pass by? In this case, 'awe' isn't meant to be a sign of amazing beauty or enjoyment, but more, "Oh my god, what a horrible monstrosity!"

[ghost geezer]

02:15 AM on 02/21/2012

This is just fine with me. We need to plow under every vestige of beauty and imagination in architecture in order to meet the new aesthetic that is defecated onto our land by the rich and famous pigs who run our brave new show. I read just yesterday that the Vogons have elected to bypass Earth since it is becoming so beautiful to them that they have decided to worship it.

[PrairieGayCompanion]

12:53 AM on 02/21/2012

Why do people buy these houses if they don't want them?

[BurtonDesque]

02:43 AM on 02/21/2012

For the land they sit on.

[TheAntiOkie]

09:08 AM on 02/21/2012

Yes - so they can destroy something that 'fits" into the area and replace it with an atrocity that does not.

Such wise thinking....................

[johnnygoodwud]

12:12 AM on 02/21/2012

and in it's place a nice new, oversized, doesn't fit in with the neighborhood, hey look at me and my big house, mc mansion

[TheAntiOkie]

09:10 AM on 02/21/2012

My big house with a bathroom that is big enough for 5 families to live inside of - because we all spend SO much time in our bathrooms that they MUST be 1000 square feet and have living room furniture in them so we can stop to relax between the time we get out of the shower and walk across the vast coldass marble floor over to one of the 6 sinks to brush our teeth.

[Reyeshawk13]

12:04 AM on 02/21/2012

Hey, he probably just wants to build a McMansion which will take up the entire lot, won't fit into the neighborhood and have at least 3000 sq ft he doesn't need. Give a guy a break.

[johnnygoodwud]

12:13 AM on 02/21/2012

just posted the same above, before reading your comment. great minds,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[robodawa]

07:47 PM on 02/20/2012

Maybe if it's as gawd awful ugly as a Stone Park strip club, squats from lot line to lot line, blocks out the sun and has really loud , 95 dB+ AC condensors will the gentry take zoning laws seriously.
Until then, Handwringers of Wilmette - like every one else in the world - deserve the community they didn't work for.

[DawnK]

05:47 PM on 02/20/2012

It makes me sad that people just don't see the value of a historic property especially one in the Chicago area that has connections to Frank Loyd Wright. Hopefully it will not be replaced with some huge gaudy cookie cutter mcmansion.

[westreal]

01:10 PM on 02/20/2012

Gawd dammed greedy bastarrds.

In some communities you can't fly a flag or even cut your grass a certain way but in North Shore you can tear down historic homes at a whim. W T F!!!