Spring 2022
A CASE FOR PLACE
1
1page 6
update
The Library board’s newly formed Building Committee, headed by Library trustees Bryan Bertola and Heather Strong, took the first step in the library’s Capital Improvement Project by reviewing the existing dome analysis completed in 2018. The committee determined that additional study was required and, after a thorough vetting process, hired Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. of Northbrook, an American architectural and engineering firm specializing in the investigation, analysis, testing and design of repairs for historic structures, to guide the Library’s restoration process.
Wiss Janney has made an initial site visit, and using a roofing specialist, they will peel back the dome’s wrap to make a more detailed evaluation of its condition. They are now in the data collection phase of the project and are pleased to have discovered the drawings for the 1984 dome project, including five sheets of the 1931 Edwin Hill Clark blueprints. However, the Library is missing the David Woodhouse drawings of the glass addition to the Kasian Room, the 1977 Brenner-Danforth drawings from the addition of the wings, as well as the 1931 Edwin Hill Clark building drawings. These drawings are important to help ensure the historical architectural integrity of the building going forward. If anyone has any clues as to where the committee might track down these drawings, please contact Heather Strong ([email protected]).
For the latest progress report, visit www.lakeforestlibrary.org.
library
update
The Library board’s newly formed Building Committee, headed by Library trustees Bryan Bertola and Heather Strong, took the first step in the library’s Capital Improvement Project by reviewing the existing dome analysis completed in 2018. The committee determined that additional study was required and, after a thorough vetting process, hired Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. of Northbrook, an American architectural and engineering firm specializing in the investigation, analysis, testing and design of repairs for historic structures, to guide the Library’s restoration process.
Wiss Janney has made an initial site visit, and using a roofing specialist, they will peel back the dome’s wrap to make a more detailed evaluation of its condition. They are now in the data collection phase of the project and are pleased to have discovered the drawings for the 1984 dome project, including five sheets of the 1931 Edwin Hill Clark blueprints. However, the Library is missing the David Woodhouse drawings of the glass addition to the Kasian Room, the 1977 Brenner-Danforth drawings from the addition of the wings, as well as the 1931 Edwin Hill Clark building drawings. These drawings are important to help ensure the historical architectural integrity of the building going forward. If anyone has any clues as to where the committee might track down these drawings, please contact Heather Strong ([email protected]).
For the latest progress report, visit www.lakeforestlibrary.org.
libraryFROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Friends,
Our city’s architectural character has been described as “like an English village.” It began with Frost & Granger in the 1890s, with City Hall and the train station, and includes Howard Van Doren Shaw and the creation of Market Square in the 1900s, and the Lake Forest Bank and Trust’s block in the 1990s by Penegrine Bryant. The central business district is our community jewel with Market Square at its heart.
This historic and architecturally significant character of our CBD is what draws residents, businesses, tourists and investors to our town – it is our brand. Our brand is what sets our community apart from every other North Shore community or Chicago suburb and has drawn national recognition for our walkable town center plan and its carefully designed architecture. Lake Forest is a model for the country in town center planning and walkable cities. Our brand is also our economic engine.
To attract future residents and investors we need to preserve our unique brand. If we don’t preserve our brand, we risk destroying the reason investors want to be in Lake Forest and, consequently, our future economic viability. Over the decades, many Lake Foresters worked hard to ensure our city’s architectural character was preserved for the enjoyment and benefit of all.
LAKE FOREST FORWARD:
A Sensible and Sensitive Approach to Development in our Historic Center Saturday, May 7, 2022, 4:00 PM
Recent development proposals in and around the East Lake Forest and Central Business Historic Districts have raised the question of what is conscientious, compatible development? How do we preserve our unique historic and architectural character and allow for economic growth? Is it possible to design historically and architecturally compatible new development and still make a profit? How do we as a community envision the future of “uptown” Lake Forest?
Join us for a fascinating discussion with Stefanos Polyzoides, Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame, and Thomas Norman Rajkovich, practicing local architect and visiting professor at Notre Dame’s School of Architecture, to understand how thoughtful development can preserve and protect our historic, architectural and cultural resources. They will discuss how livable streets arranged in compact, walkable blocks within easy reach of schools, stores, arts and entertainment, and an environment where appropriately designed buildings that define and enliven our streets and other public places can enhance Lake Forest’s established historic and architecturally significant Central Business District.
For additional information about this program visit our website www.LFPF.org/events.
LAKE FOREST FORWARD:
A Sensible and Sensitive Approach to Development in our Historic Center Saturday, May 7, 2022, 4:00 PM
Recent development proposals in and around the East Lake Forest and Central Business Historic Districts have raised the question of what is conscientious, compatible development? How do we preserve our unique historic and architectural character and allow for economic growth? Is it possible to design historically and architecturally compatible new development and still make a profit? How do we as a community envision the future of “uptown” Lake Forest?
Join us for a fascinating discussion with Stefanos Polyzoides, Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame, and Thomas Norman Rajkovich, practicing local architect and visiting professor at Notre Dame’s School of Architecture, to understand how thoughtful development can preserve and protect our historic, architectural and cultural resources. They will discuss how livable streets arranged in compact, walkable blocks within easy reach of schools, stores, arts and entertainment, and an environment where appropriately designed buildings that define and enliven our streets and other public places can enhance Lake Forest’s established historic and architecturally significant Central Business District.
For additional information about this program visit our website www.LFPF.org/events.The mission of LFPF is to protect the historic visual character of Lake Forest. We have always encouraged sensitive development that is compatible with our existing character. As we look forward to what Lake Forest will grow to be in the next 20 to 30 years, let’s all take care to propose and support conscientious development that preserves our brand and ensures our future economic growth and viability.
To help our community understand what conscientious development might look like in the future for our community, LFPF is proud to sponsor a conversation with a nationally recognized expert in town center urban planning and classical architecture. Please join us on Saturday, May 7, to hear Stefanos Polyzoides, Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame, discuss the national, historic and architectural significance of Lake Forest’s central business district and what can be done to protect our historic visual character and encourage economic growth.
This issue of our newsletter recognizes our donors, sponsors and volunteers from the past year. Thank you so much for your continued support through the Annual Fund and Membership. Our organization is 100% dependent on your donations, which allow us to continue our mission to preserve the historic visual character of Lake Forest through advocacy, education and project funding.
Thank you for your continued support!
Susan Rafferty Athenson
President
Classicism Part 3: Rogers and the Anderson Block
Anderson Building
limit in the central business district. It followed, in turn, the January 1902 exhibit and report release for the Macmillan Plan for Washington, DC, where before and after models showed uniform low-rise building heights along axial streets in the capital. Followed in 1905 by the three-story O’Neill building on the northwest corner of Western and Westminster, Rogers’ Anderson Block confirmation of the downtown height limit reflects the City Beautiful three-dimensional planning innovations of its era.
Kentucky-born Chicagoan Rogers, contemporary with locally based architects Howard Van Doren Shaw
base, shaft, capital, and frieze of a column represented in the vertical layers of the structure (at left). The limestone pedestal first floor has above it the red brick shaft of the column, its windows’ rhythm like fluting on a column, with a parapet frieze at the top, the sections separated by limestone belt courses.
This style contrasted with the 1895 Richardsonian Romanesque turreted, three-story Blackler Building across Deerpath to the south and with the 1900 English Traditional one-story train station a half block north, by Frost & Granger. Rogers introduced classic and Georgian style palettes that would reverberate in Market Square, 1916; the Northern Trust building, 1930; and the Krafft
building’s west
This third article in Preservation’s classicism
and Alfred Granger,
Stone Gate, ca. 1908
annex, 2005.
series examines the familiar “Walgreens Building,” on the northwest corner of Deerpath and Western Ave. The 1903 structure was built by the Anderson Trust, succeeding an 1867 two-story frame James Anderson general store, relocated to clear the site. This new three-story brick and limestone substantial mixed-use building introduced classic columnar form into the town’s business district west of the tracks.
The Anderson Block is perhaps architect Rogers’ earliest major surviving building, still
graduated from Yale and from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, and like them worked for William Jenney. He married Annie Day, daughter of Albert Day, 1 Stone Gate at the east end of Illinois Rd. Rogers remodeled the Day’s 1890s Cobb-designed colonial revival house (replaced) and built the picturesque gate structure facing south to Stone Gate (above).
The Beaux Arts approach to design was to use modern materials like steel girders for new uses, as in this mixed-use commercial
Rogers went on to have a brilliant national career, building 1920s Beaux Arts (with steel girders) Gothic buildings at Yale and Northwestern. Locals will know his work for Northwestern—in Evanston, 1926
Blackler Building
a landmark in downtown Lake Forest. By following the three-story scale of the 1895 Blackler building, too, Rogers’ 1903 Anderson Block helped establish the de facto height
building, to reflect ancient classic ideas
and forms, as at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. In this, one of his earliest major projects, Rogers employed a restrained Georgian style in a columnar vertical form: the pedestal,
classic Dyke, now Ryan, Field; his 1933
Gothic Deering Library; and 1940 Swift Hall/Cahn Auditorium there; and in Chicago the lakefront Gothic Ward building near the NU hospital complex.
goodbye to an old friend…
lake bluff shaw mansion to be demolished
Photo courtesy of Lake Bluff History Museum
goodbye to an old friend…
lake bluff shaw mansion to be demolished
Photo courtesy of Lake Bluff History Museum
LFPF regrettably says goodbye to the historic and architecturally significant mansion designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw at 136 Green Bay Road, Lake Bluff.
The mansion, also known as Stonebridge, was approved for demolition by the Village of Lake Bluff Board of Trustees on November 22, 2021, ending a long and diligent battle between the Village of Lake Bluff and the developer, SB 2011 LLC over the fate of the historic home and coach house.
Over the years, LFPF was hopeful the Village of Lake Bluff would prevail in saving the historic home, which was built in 1915 by Shaw, with landscaping by Jens Jensen, for William V. and Lillian Phelps Kelley. In the 1960s it was sold and was subsequently a Catholic Monastery, Harrison Conference Center, and hotel.
The demolition of one of Shaw’s and Jensen’s collaborative masterpieces on the edge of the Skokie Nature preserve is a significant loss to our entire community.
Thank you to our 2021 Members and Do
membership
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Abbattista* Ms. Nancy Akred
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Alfe* Mr. and Mrs. Dan Alvarez Ms. Sara Anderson*
Mr. and Mrs. James Anderson Mr. and Mrs. James Armstrong Ms. Monica Artmann-Ruggles Mr. and Mrs. Bill Athenson* Ms. Rachel Noel Avigad
and Mr. Paul Piotrowski Ms. Brunhild Baass
Mr. and Mrs. David Baier Mr. and Mrs. Robert Banks Ms. Caryl Barclay
Ms. Jodi Barke
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Bass Ms. Dianne Begin
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Behrens Mr. and Mrs. Francis Beidler III* Ms. Patti Belmonti
Mr. and Mrs.Wayne Benjamin* Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Bennett*
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bennett III* Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bent*
Mr. Craig Bergmann and Mr. Paul Klug*
Mr. Paul Bergmann*
Mr. and Mrs. Harold G. Bernthal Mr. and Mrs. James Bertram
Ms. Kathleen Birmingham Mrs. William Boggess
Ms. Suzanne Boren* Mr. and Mrs. Jim Borg* Mr. Richard Bories
and Mr. James Shearron Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bowen Mr. and Mrs. Richard Brandel Ms. Nancy Brankis
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brennan* Mr. Jackson Brown*
Mr. Robert Brown Mrs. John Bryan, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. James Bryant Dr. and Mrs. Brian Bryzinski* Dr. Barbara Buchbinder
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Buckardt Mrs. Mignon Buehler
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bull Mr. and Mrs. David Burgess
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Buschmann* Mrs. Rhett Butler*
Mrs. Betty Carbol* Mrs. Barry Carroll*
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Carter Mr. and Mrs. Frank Casper Mr. and Mrs. Doug Cassidy Mr. Bill Castle*
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Chabraja Ms. Catherine Champ
Ms. Annette Champion* Mrs. Henry T. Chandler Ms. Houda Chedid
Mr. John Cialone
and Mr. David Seleb* Mr. Jerome J. Claeys III Mr. and Mrs. Jim Clifton Mr. and Mrs. Steve Cole*
Mr. and Mrs. Vince Conroy Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Considine Mr. and Mrs. Ron Coolley
Ms. Maribeth Corbett Mrs. Katie Cordell
Mr. and Mrs. George Covington Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crawford* Mr. and Mrs. Scott Cummings* Mr. and Mrs. Todd Curry*
Mr. Richard Cutler
Mr. and Mrs. Hal D’Orazio* Mr. and Mrs. Richard Daly Mr. John L. Danch
Mr. and Mrs Neal Dann-Fenwick Mr. Peter Davidson
Mr. and Mrs. James Dean
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Deromedi* Mr. and Mrs. Terry Desmond* Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Dixon* Mrs. Barbara Donnelley
Ms. Laura Dorenfest
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Douglass Mr. and Mrs. John Drummond Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ducan Mrs. Madeleine B. Dugan
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Durburg* Mr. and Mrs. Brian Durkin Ms. Jennifer Durot*
Ms. Laurel Kay Ellwein Ms. Martha Skup and
Mr. Christopher Enck
Mr. and Mrs. James Engelland Mr. and Mrs. Morton Engle Mr. and Mrs. James Estes
Mr. and Mrs. Don Fawcett* Mr. and Mrs. Roger Ferch* Ms. Rowena Festin
Mr. and Mrs. Les Finkel Mrs. Patricia Finn*
Mr. David Fleming*
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Fontana* Ms. Patricia Shuma and
Mr. Craig Fox* Ms. Annelia Fritz Ms. Janet Gates Ms. Susan Gaud* Ms. Carol Gayle*
Mr. Perry Georgopoulos* Mr. Joseph Giampa
Ms. Carlette McMullan and Mr. John Gibbons
Ms. Jan Gibson
Mrs. R. Thomas Gibson
Mr. Scott Gibson Mr. Tom Gleason*
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Goldstein Mr. Trey Gonzales
and Mr. Kip Helverson *
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Grabbe* Mr. and Mrs. Mark Graf
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Grant Mr. and Mrs. Will Gregg Mr. D. Kendall Griffith*
Mr. and Mrs. David Grinnell* Mrs. Mayja Pastrana
and Mr. Cesar Guerra Mrs. Ed Halle*
Mr. Philippe Hans* Mr. Phil Hartung
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Havey* Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hayman Mr. Douglas Hayward
Mrs. Molly Heizer
Mr. and Mrs. David Henkel Mr. and Mrs. Samuel J. Henry Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hermes Dr. Eugene Hotchkiss*
Ms. Patricia Oey and Mr. Jack Hsu Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Huber
Mrs. William Hughes
and Ms. Sarah Hughes* Ms. Susan Ipsen*
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Jackson* Ms. Kristen Jacobsen
Dr. and Mrs. Bill Janes* Mr. and Mrs. Allan Janis* Ms. Barbara Jensen
Mrs. Sarah Jimenez* Mrs. Kenneth Johnsen* Ms. Jenny Johnsen
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Johnston* Mr. and Mrs. John Julian*
Mrs. Rosemary Kehr
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Kellock Mrs. Daniel Kelly
Mr. and Mrs. Doug Kinney* Ms. Jean Kirkeleit-Davis and
Mr. Terry Davis Mrs. Donna Kissel* Mr. Terry Kiwala
Ms. Joan Boughton and Mr. Henry Kleeman
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Klein Mr. and Ms. Timothy Knight* Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kolar Mr. and Mrs. Mike Koob
Mr. and Mrs. John Kozak Mr. and Mrs. Paul Krauss* Mr. Jay Krehbiel*
Mrs. Posy Krehbiel* Mr. Robert Kunkel
Ms. Renee Preston Kunkel Mr. Desmond La Place*
Lake Forest Garden Club* Lake Forest Open Lands Mr. Charles Lamphere*
Mr. and Mrs. James Leahy Mr. and Mrs. Sean Leahy Mr. and Mrs. Toby Lees* Ms. Beth Levine
Ms. Connie Blade
and Mr. Ronald Levitsky
Ms. Linda Liang and Mr. Barry Slee* Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Lind
Mr. Mark Linenberg
Mr. and Mrs. David Linville* Mr. and Mrs. William Lloyd Mrs. Susan Lovell
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Luce* Ms. Lori Lennon
and Mr. Don Lynch *
Mr. and Mrs. William Madden* Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Magliochetti* Mr. R. Tighe Magnuson
Mr. and Mrs. Reese Marcusson* Mr. and Mrs. Miles Marsh*
Mr. and Mrs. David Mathis* Mr. David Mattoon*
Mrs. John McDonough* Ms. Mary Ellen McGoey Ms. Jennifer McGregor
Mr. and Mrs. Tom McIntosh* Ms. Mary McMahon
Ms. Lisa McWeeny Ms. Mary McWilliams Ms. Diana Melichar
Mr. Richard Mentzinger
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Milani* Mrs. Pamela Miles
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Miller* Ms. Sally Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Milmoe Ms. Betty Mishkin
Mrs. Roger Mohr* Mr. Steven Monz*
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Moore Ms. Wendy Moreno
Mr. and Mrs. David Morgans
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Moulton-Ely Mr. James Moureau
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Moyer Mr. and Mrs. John Mueller Dr. and Mrs. Mark Neerhof* Ms. Leslie Newman*
Mr. and Mrs. Neil Nicastro Dr. Kathryn Grace
and Mr. Brian Norton * Mr. Richard Norton
Dr. Heather Heiberger and Mr. C. J. Oates
Mr. Michael O’Connell* Mr. and Mrs. Jim O’Connor
Mr. and Mrs. Peter O’Malley*
Mr. and Mrs. James Opsitnik* Mr. and Mrs. George Pandaleon Mr. and Mrs. L. Robert Pasquesi* Mrs. Ellen Peter
Ms. Geraldine Peterson Mr. and Mrs. Mark Piekos Mr. and Mrs. Alex Pollock Mrs. Lisa Pommer
and Mr. Christopher Pommer* Mr. and Mrs. John Poth*
Ms. Carol Post Mrs. Juliet Priebe*
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Preschlack* Mr. Todd Protzman-Davis Ms. Athena Karavites Pruim Mrs. Diane Quinn*
Ms. Kathy Rafferty*
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Norman Rajkovich
Dr. and Mrs. Nabih Ramadan Ms. Pamela Ratchford
Mr. and Mrs. James Reid-Anderson* Mr. and Mrs. Jack Reilly*
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Reinkemeyer* Mr. Lawrence
and Dr. Linda Remensnyder* Ms. Martha ReQua
Mr. Timm Reynolds*
Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Riedel Mrs. Patricia Riess*
Ms. Sandra Riggs*
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Roberts Mr. Theodore Roberts Ms. Nancy Green
and Mr. Bill Robinson Mr. Ted Rojahn
Dr. Carlos and Dr. Carlotta Rotman Mr. and Mrs. Mike Rummel
Mr. and Mrs. William Russell Dr. Ana Bedran-Russo
and Dr. Stephen Russo Mr. William Rutledge Mr. Joseph Sanson
and Mr. Stephen Fletcher Mr. and Mrs. Mark Saran Ms. Mary Keefe
and Mr. Robert Scales* Mr. and Mrs. John Schreiber* Mr. and Mrs. Matt Scholz Mr. and Mrs. Bill Schumann* Mrs. Julia Shackleford*
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Shannahan Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shaw*
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Sheffield, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Kirk Shepard*
Mrs. Linda Shields*
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Slavin Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Smith* Mr. and Mrs. Jason Smith* Mr. Sidney T. Smith*
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Somers*
This Preservation publication is provided three times a year to the entire community of Lake Forest free of charge through our generous members and donors listed above.
annual fund
Contributions to the Annual Fund are dedicated to new local preservation efforts
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Abbattista*
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ebner
Ms. Joan Boughton
Mr. and Mrs. John Poth*
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Alfe*
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Ellis
and Mr. Henry Kleeman*
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Preschlack*
Ms. Sara Anderson*
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Farrell
Ms. Frieda Jacobs
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Price
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Athenson*
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Fawcett*
and Mr. Fred Klein
Mrs. Juliet Priebe*
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Beidler III*
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Ferch*
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Knight*
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Puryear
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Benjamin*
Mrs. Patricia Finn*
Ms. Jane Kolb
Mr. and Mrs. Don Quigley
Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Bennett*
Mr. David Fleming*
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Krauss*
Mrs. Diane Quinn*
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bennett III*
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Fontana*
Mrs. Posy Krehbiel*
Mrs. Kathy Rafferty*
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bent*
Mr. Craig Fox
Mr. Jay Krehbiel*
Mr. and Mrs. James Reid-Anderson*
Mr. Craig Bergmann
and Ms. Patricia Shuma*
Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Kruse
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Reilly*
and Mr. Paul Klug*
Ms. Lorraine Freedman
Mr. Desmond La Place*
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Reinkemeyer*
Mr. Paul Bergmann*
Mr. and Mrs. Donald French
Lake Forest Garden Club*
Mr. Lawrence
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Bernish
Ms. Susan Gaud*
Lake Forest Shop
and Dr. Linda Remensnyder*
Mr. and Mrs. David Blowers
Ms. Carol Gayle*
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lamphere*
Mr. Timm Reynolds*
Ms. Suzanne Boren*
Mr. Perry Georgopoulos*
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Laufenberg
Mrs. Patricia Riess*
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Borg*
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Glasser
Mr. and Mrs. Toby Lees*
Ms. Sandra Riggs*
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brennan*
Mr. Tom Gleason*
Ms. Linda Liang and Mr. Barry Slee*
Mr. William E. Rutledge
Mr. Jackson Brown*
Mr. O. Renard Goltra
Mr. and Mrs. David Linville*
Mr. and Mrs. Edmond Russ
Dr. and Mrs. Brian Bryzinski*
Mr. Trey Gonzales
Mr. and Mrs. Todd Lohr
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Scaccia
Mr. and Mrs. Willard Bunn
and Mr. Kip Helverson*
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Luce*
Ms. Mary Keefe
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Buschmann*
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Grabbe*
Ms. Lori Lennon
and Mr. Robert Scales *
Butler Family Foundation
Mr. D. Kendall Griffith*
and Mr. Don Lynch*
Mr. and Mrs. John Schreiber*
Mrs. Rhett Butler*
Mr. and Mrs. David Grinnell*
Mr. and Mrs. William Madden*
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Schumann *
Mr. and Mrs. David Cain
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Gross
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Magliochetti*
Mrs. Julia Shackleford*
Mrs. Betty Carbol*
Dr. and Mrs. James Hall
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Mancuso
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shaw*
Mr. Brian Carl
Mrs. Ed Halle*
Mr. and Mrs. Reese Marcusson*
Dr. and Mrs. Kirk Shepard*
Mrs. Barry Carroll*
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hampson
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Mardjetko
Mrs. Linda Shields*
Mr. Bill Castle*
Mr. Philippe Hans*
Mr. and Mrs. Miles Marsh*
Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Smith*
Ms. Annette Champion*
Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Hanselman
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marshall
Mr. and Mrs. Jason Smith*
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Cherry
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Havey*
Mr. and Mrs. David Mathis*
Mr. Sidney T. Smith*
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Christoph
Mr. and Mrs. John Holland
Mr. David Mattoon*
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Somers*
Mr. John Cialone
Dr. Eugene Hotchkiss*
Ms. Michaele Ann McDonnell
Mr. William Springer
and Mr. David Seleb*
Mrs. William Hughes
Mrs. John McDonough*
Mr. and Mrs. James Stirling*
Mr. and Mrs. Henrik Clausen
and Ms. Sarah Hughes*
Mr. and Mrs. Tom McIntosh*
Mrs. Carole Stroh*
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Cole*
Ms. Anne Hunting
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Milani*
Ms. Nancy Sylvester
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Coleman
and Dr. Ari Mintz
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Miller*
Mrs. Beth Teich*
Ms. Maribeth A. Corbett
Ms. Susan Ipsen*
Ms. Meredith Mitchell
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomson
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crawford*
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Jackson*
Mrs. Roger Mohr*
Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Turchi*
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Cummings*
Dr. and Mrs. Bill Janes*
Ms. Mary Mohr
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wacker*
Mr. and Mrs. Todd Curry*
Mr. and Mrs. Allan Janis*
Mr. Steven Monz*
Mrs. Kevin Warnke
Mr. and Mrs. Hal D’Orazio*
Mrs. Sarah Jimenez*
Mr. and Mrs. David Moore
Mrs. Louise Weithas*
Mrs. and Mr. John Davidson
Mrs. Kenneth Johnsen*
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Mosner
Mr. Chris Werwicki
Mr. William Davis
Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson
Dr. and Mrs. Mark Neerhof*
Mr. and Mrs. Henry West*
Edward Deegan Architects
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Johnston*
Ms. Leslie Newman*
Mr. and Mrs. Peter West*
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Deromedi*
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Jones
Dr. Kathryn Grace and
Ms. Carla Westcott
Mr. and Mrs. Terry Desmond*
Mr. and Mrs. John Julian*
Mr. Brian Norton*
Mr. and Mrs. Emmett White
Mr. and Mrs. John Dick
Dr. and Mrs. Howard Katz
Mr. Michael O’Connell*
Mr. Robert Williams*
Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Dixon*
Mr. Thomas Keim
Mr. and Mrs. Peter O’Malley*
Ms. Lisa Wolfe and
Mr. and Mrs. John Doheny
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Kerr
Mr. and Mrs. James Opsitnik*
Mr. Mark Diganci*
Ms. Sara Downey
Mr. and Mrs. Doug Kinney*
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Pasquesi
Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Wolter*
Ms. Charenton Zelov Drake
Mrs. Donna Kissel*
Mr. and Mrs. L. Robert Pasquesi*
Mr. Lloyd Zuckerberg*
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Durburg*
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Klaskin
Mr. Christopher Pommer
Ms. Jennifer Durot*
and Mrs. Lisa Pommer*
*denotes Annual Fund donor also
annual fund
Contributions to the Annual Fund are dedicated to new local preservation efforts
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Abbattista*
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ebner
Ms. Joan Boughton
Mr. and Mrs. John Poth*
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Alfe*
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Ellis
and Mr. Henry Kleeman*
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Preschlack*
Ms. Sara Anderson*
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Farrell
Ms. Frieda Jacobs
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Price
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Athenson*
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Fawcett*
and Mr. Fred Klein
Mrs. Juliet Priebe*
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Beidler III*
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Ferch*
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Knight*
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Puryear
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Benjamin*
Mrs. Patricia Finn*
Ms. Jane Kolb
Mr. and Mrs. Don Quigley
Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Bennett*
Mr. David Fleming*
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Krauss*
Mrs. Diane Quinn*
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bennett III*
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Fontana*
Mrs. Posy Krehbiel*
Mrs. Kathy Rafferty*
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bent*
Mr. Craig Fox
Mr. Jay Krehbiel*
Mr. and Mrs. James Reid-Anderson*
Mr. Craig Bergmann
and Ms. Patricia Shuma*
Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Kruse
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Reilly*
and Mr. Paul Klug*
Ms. Lorraine Freedman
Mr. Desmond La Place*
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Reinkemeyer*
Mr. Paul Bergmann*
Mr. and Mrs. Donald French
Lake Forest Garden Club*
Mr. Lawrence
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Bernish
Ms. Susan Gaud*
Lake Forest Shop
and Dr. Linda Remensnyder*
Mr. and Mrs. David Blowers
Ms. Carol Gayle*
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lamphere*
Mr. Timm Reynolds*
Ms. Suzanne Boren*
Mr. Perry Georgopoulos*
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Laufenberg
Mrs. Patricia Riess*
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Borg*
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Glasser
Mr. and Mrs. Toby Lees*
Ms. Sandra Riggs*
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brennan*
Mr. Tom Gleason*
Ms. Linda Liang and Mr. Barry Slee*
Mr. William E. Rutledge
Mr. Jackson Brown*
Mr. O. Renard Goltra
Mr. and Mrs. David Linville*
Mr. and Mrs. Edmond Russ
Dr. and Mrs. Brian Bryzinski*
Mr. Trey Gonzales
Mr. and Mrs. Todd Lohr
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Scaccia
Mr. and Mrs. Willard Bunn
and Mr. Kip Helverson*
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Luce*
Ms. Mary Keefe
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Buschmann*
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Grabbe*
Ms. Lori Lennon
and Mr. Robert Scales *
Butler Family Foundation
Mr. D. Kendall Griffith*
and Mr. Don Lynch*
Mr. and Mrs. John Schreiber*
Mrs. Rhett Butler*
Mr. and Mrs. David Grinnell*
Mr. and Mrs. William Madden*
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Schumann *
Mr. and Mrs. David Cain
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Gross
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Magliochetti*
Mrs. Julia Shackleford*
Mrs. Betty Carbol*
Dr. and Mrs. James Hall
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Mancuso
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shaw*
Mr. Brian Carl
Mrs. Ed Halle*
Mr. and Mrs. Reese Marcusson*
Dr. and Mrs. Kirk Shepard*
Mrs. Barry Carroll*
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hampson
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Mardjetko
Mrs. Linda Shields*
Mr. Bill Castle*
Mr. Philippe Hans*
Mr. and Mrs. Miles Marsh*
Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Smith*
Ms. Annette Champion*
Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Hanselman
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marshall
Mr. and Mrs. Jason Smith*
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Cherry
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Havey*
Mr. and Mrs. David Mathis*
Mr. Sidney T. Smith*
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Christoph
Mr. and Mrs. John Holland
Mr. David Mattoon*
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Somers*
Mr. John Cialone
Dr. Eugene Hotchkiss*
Ms. Michaele Ann McDonnell
Mr. William Springer
and Mr. David Seleb*
Mrs. William Hughes
Mrs. John McDonough*
Mr. and Mrs. James Stirling*
Mr. and Mrs. Henrik Clausen
and Ms. Sarah Hughes*
Mr. and Mrs. Tom McIntosh*
Mrs. Carole Stroh*
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Cole*
Ms. Anne Hunting
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Milani*
Ms. Nancy Sylvester
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Coleman
and Dr. Ari Mintz
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Miller*
Mrs. Beth Teich*
Ms. Maribeth A. Corbett
Ms. Susan Ipsen*
Ms. Meredith Mitchell
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomson
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crawford*
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Jackson*
Mrs. Roger Mohr*
Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Turchi*
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Cummings*
Dr. and Mrs. Bill Janes*
Ms. Mary Mohr
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wacker*
Mr. and Mrs. Todd Curry*
Mr. and Mrs. Allan Janis*
Mr. Steven Monz*
Mrs. Kevin Warnke
Mr. and Mrs. Hal D’Orazio*
Mrs. Sarah Jimenez*
Mr. and Mrs. David Moore
Mrs. Louise Weithas*
Mrs. and Mr. John Davidson
Mrs. Kenneth Johnsen*
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Mosner
Mr. Chris Werwicki
Mr. William Davis
Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson
Dr. and Mrs. Mark Neerhof*
Mr. and Mrs. Henry West*
Edward Deegan Architects
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Johnston*
Ms. Leslie Newman*
Mr. and Mrs. Peter West*
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Deromedi*
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Jones
Dr. Kathryn Grace and
Ms. Carla Westcott
Mr. and Mrs. Terry Desmond*
Mr. and Mrs. John Julian*
Mr. Brian Norton*
Mr. and Mrs. Emmett White
Mr. and Mrs. John Dick
Dr. and Mrs. Howard Katz
Mr. Michael O’Connell*
Mr. Robert Williams*
Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Dixon*
Mr. Thomas Keim
Mr. and Mrs. Peter O’Malley*
Ms. Lisa Wolfe and
Mr. and Mrs. John Doheny
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Kerr
Mr. and Mrs. James Opsitnik*
Mr. Mark Diganci*
Ms. Sara Downey
Mr. and Mrs. Doug Kinney*
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Pasquesi
Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Wolter*
Ms. Charenton Zelov Drake
Mrs. Donna Kissel*
Mr. and Mrs. L. Robert Pasquesi*
Mr. Lloyd Zuckerberg*
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Durburg*
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Klaskin
Mr. Christopher Pommer
Ms. Jennifer Durot*
and Mrs. Lisa Pommer*
*denotes Annual Fund donor also
nors
Ms. Linda Spanberger
Mr. and Mrs. George Sperzel Ms. Dorr St. Clair
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Staackmann Col. and Mrs. Lawrence Stack Mr. and Mrs. James Stirling* Mrs. Mary Riley Stokes
Mrs. Carole Stroh*
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sunseri Mr. D. Jeffery Swinson
Ms. Brooke Tagliaferro Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor Mrs. Beth Teich*
Ms. Marsha Temple
Mr. and Mrs. James TenBroek Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Terry Ms. Linda Tomchuck
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Torosian Mr. and Mrs. Romeo Tosi Mr. and Mrs. Jason Trombley Mr. and Mrs. Rob Troxel
Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Turchi* Ms. Cathy Van Dorpe
Ms. Betty Van Gorkom Ms. Loralee Van Vleet
Mr. and Mrs. William Vance Mr. and Mrs. John Vratimos Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wacker* Mr. and Mrs. Michael Walsh Mr. and Mrs. Robert Washlow Ms. Emily Watts
Mr. and Mrs. David Waud Mr. and Mrs. Ron Waud Ms. Nicki Weeden
Mrs. Louise Weithas*
Mr. and Mrs. Henry West* Mr. and Mrs. Peter West* Mr. George White
Mr. Robert Williams* Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wisner Ms. Lisa Wolfe
and Mr. Mark Diganci* Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Wolter* Ms. Wendy Wood Prince Ms. Gina Zisook
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Zoller Mr. Lloyd Zuckerberg*
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Zuegel
thank you to hosts, sponsors & volunteers
in honor of
in memory of
Paul Burgmann
Indgri and Brian Brizinski Stuart Cohen
Crab Tree Farm
Jennifer and jack Durburg Tom Gleason
Cappy Johnston JWC Media
City of Lake Forest Lake Forest Book Store Lake Forest Shop
Matt Lincoln Mark Linenberg
Laura and Geoffrey Luce David Mattoon Midwest Rail Rangers Arthur Miller
Steven Monz Brian Norton Jim Opsitnik Matt Peterson Thomas Norman
Mary Keefe and Bob Scales Nancy and Adrian Smith Smith’s Men’s Store
The Architecture of Stanley D. Anderson by Paul Bergmann
Baker-Rafferty Family The Durburgs
Trey Gonzales Ann Jones
The Lake Woodbine Bridge Arthur Miller
Pauline Mohr
Stanley Anderson and Stan Jr. James Benton
Gail Hodges William Hughes Roger Mohr
Michael and Elizabeth Rafferty Jane Weeden
Sally Wimmer
Every effort was made to list the names of all our contributors. If we have inadvertently omitted your name or listed it incorrectly, please contact the office at 847-234-1230 or [email protected] so we can correct our records.
english village vernacular – photos courtesy of paul bergmann
english village vernacular – photos courtesy of paul bergmann
A CASE FOR PLACE:
Why Preservation of the Central Business District’s Historic Visual Character is Important
The origins of Lake Forest’s Central Business District date to the 1860s when James Anderson built his general store on the northwest corner of Deerpath and Western. Just three decades later, other buildings along Deerpath would begin adopting a distinctive template of three-story, masonry-constructed, English historically styled and coordinated visual character. In the early 1900s, Howard Van Doren Shaw led the design and oversaw the construction of Market Square, building on the distinguishing, historical style of the earlier buildings. Lake Forest is fortunate to not only have wonderful historic buildings
lake forest city hall
The first reason is the more obvious one. Incorporating the historic visual character in new development would help to maintain the sense of place that has long been the hallmark of the historic part of the CBD. As we know, Market Square, 1916, was the first planned commercial town center development in the US. It is still to this day the gold standard of town center planning, and many architects and urban planners still cite it as one of the best examples of well-designed and successful town square and town center planning. Furthermore the Historic Deerpath Road corridor, recalling a British town high
and its historic square, but also the legacy of some of the most noted architects and town planners that designed and developed them.
The Preservation Foundation has long been an advocate of preserving the historic visual character of Lake Forest. While part of that is to preserve history and historic structures, there is another aspect. The desire for the preservation of this historic visual character in new development and redevelopment projects, especially in the historic part of the Central Business District or CBD.
Why is this even important, you might ask? And how is the preservation of the historic visual character important for the future vitality of the CBD? After all, there is probably complete agreement on the preservation of the historic buildings. What does it matter to perpetuate this character in new development in the future? The answer is twofold.
street, is the gateway for most visitors.
The second reason for preservation of the historic visual character, however, is about preservation of the identity of the CBD, in the larger region and even nationally. The preservation of this identity is not simply for nostalgic reasons. More importantly it is to maintain the brand identity of the historic part of the CBD as an economic engine for the City of Lake Forest. The historic English village character is a marketable brand for Lake Forest. It is one of the major things Lake Forest is known for in the region. It is one of the reasons people choose to live in Lake Forest and why developers are interested in the CBD. This identity draws visitors from the around the region to come, spend time here, shop, get a coffee or dine, and essentially spend their money here as opposed to the multitude of other destinations. It works as a brand because, unlike completely new developments, this historic character is entirely authentic.
New development, and in particular new development that can allow more people to live in the CBD, can be a very positive addition. However, it is indeed important that new development support and enhance the identity and brand of Lake Forest and the CBD. New development that is out of scale and in opposition to this identity runs the risk of creating an environment that dilutes the brand and becomes too generic, thereby losing the uniqueness that makes Lake Forest desirable as a destination in the first place.
It’s true nothing stays the same forever. There will always be changes and sometimes progress requires us to rethink some of our earlier assumptions. But the intent here is to balance the preservation of the historic character with the opportunities that new developments can offer. New development can bring new energy to the CBD. It
gunn building door hood
within walking distance. This exactly describes Lake Forest’s CBD. So, there is certainly opportunity for growth and new opportunities in the CBD. But it is also important to remember what makes Lake Forest different from almost all other places in the Chicago region. That difference is its unique historic “English village” visual character.
What do we mean by visual character? There are many aspects to consider. There is, on
can provide additional options for residents in terms of shopping, dining and even housing types.
We have learned in the last several years that there is a desire by some of the many different age cohorts to have more options for housing types. Empty nesters are looking for options to be able to downsize from their larger family homes but still stay in their communities, especially when these communities have vibrant town centers. This trend is happening both in the Chicago area and nationally. There is also growing interest among Millennials and
gateway sign to lake forest
young families, who have up to now chosen to rent in the more dense urban centers, to finally enter the real estate market, and they are looking to the suburbs once again. The difference being that they are preferring suburbs with urban-like amenities including the ability to walk to shops, restaurants, entertainment, and other amenities. In some cases, they may also desire residences other than large single-family homes.
Today young families, empty nesters and seniors are looking for active lifestyle environment that have amenities
the one hand, architectural style. But there is also much more such as the size, scale, shape, and bulk of buildings. Another consideration is how buildings define the street wall, which is to say the continuous building façade-scape along the street. Then there is building placement on the site, such as the distance from the sidewalk, for example. There is also the rhythm of building articulations, entrances, arcades, the arrangement of structural and non-structural elements. Roof lines and roof configuration. Whether the first floor is taller than the upper floors and if there is a cornice element. All these considerations may or may not be vital in any one particular building’s design, but collectively they all affect how a building enhances or alters the larger environment and how it engages the street. When we think in terms of good city planning, we come to recognize that while the buildings themselves are private, their facades, by virtue of the fact that they line the public streets, are part of the public realm. And, whether they intend to or not, they affect the public environment.
Preservation of the historic visual character is important for the future because it reinforces many of the elements that have made the CBD successful. The end goal is not to stop development, but to steer development to support and enhance the character to ensure its long-term vitality and to add new energy while capitalizing on the strengths that have traditionally made Lake Forest a destination. Preservation of the scale and character of the CBD is a means to foster and enhance the brand for the commercial benefit and overall well-being of Lake Forest. If we lose the historic scale and visual character, if we lose this brand in the historic parts of the Central Business District, we run the risk of diminishing the very reason it was economically vibrant in the first place.
Author of this article, LFPF Board Director, Perry Georgopoulos, is an Urban Planner with Ginkgo Planning & Design, Inc. and has over 27 years of experience in urban planning projects across the region.
historic central core of downtown lake forest:
Keeping a Vibrant Central Business District, Now and Into the Future
Market Square ca. 1917
Understanding the history and driving forces of the movement of retail in the context of Historical Preservation gives perspective to our past, guidance on opportunities for growth, clues to future vitality, and awareness of the present. When thinking about preservation of physical structures and buildings, it is important to keep in mind that lack of investment rather than new investment is usually the problem involved with preserving the integrity of our past. This article, loosely related to the Historic Central Core of our downtown district in Lake Forest, is not as specific about the buildings or architects that have helped shape our town. Instead, it discusses the national history and movement of retail and other uses in general and how that shapes the past, present, and future of real estate decisions and planning.
in planning and investing in our central business district over a 100 years ago.
Art Miller’s recent article (Fall 2021 Preservation) about downtown Lake Forest’s Historic District, captures a great story of a group of Lake Foresters who banded together to develop commercially through investment and build Market Square, which was completed in 1916. This development plan implemented vital uses needed during that period to facilitate growth and enhance the livability of Lake Forest as its own community and place. Through careful planning and architectural integration of details from within the community around it, Howard Van Doren Shaw, its architect, utilized characteristics of the large estates in Lake Forest in his design work, and master planned a development that has become the center point, and highest standard within Lake Forest. This anchor even today shapes our character through communal events such as the tree lighting ceremony, car show, art fair, concerts, and much more, and penetrates the minds of visitors with a scene of safety, welcomeness, history and grandeur.
Bank later Marshall Fields ca. 1917
The concentration and quality of retail and restaurants in a community effect how we live, work and play. From property values, sales tax, property tax, transfer tax, and simply the enjoyment of living in a location, the built environment plays a huge role in our quality of life. Over the past century, retail real estate
Concert in Market Square 2021
It is no great wonder that when a group of wealthy Lake Forest residents decided to raise funds to develop a commercial downtown central district and Market Square that the chosen location in town was located directly across the street and centered on the train station. This is because in 1916, transit-orientated development intersecting with the new motor vehicles were the driving force behind investment and development. The train was the prevailing technology of this
has been impacted by macroeconomic and transportation
trends greatly impacting community environments and the visual character of a place. This ever-changing story of retail economics and how these economics drive growth in an area shapes the environments built around us. In Lake Forest, this is no different and we are lucky to enjoy an ancestry that took care
time, and suburbs had moved north, west and south in great part due to access that the train facilitated between the suburban markets and the City of Chicago. These developments became vitally important to the character, presence, livability, look and feel of a community, and Lake Forest benefitted from the early investments that were made.
In 1956 the Federal-Aid Highway Act was signed by President Dwight Eisenhower. This act was vitally important to the creation of an intergrated, coast-to-coast highway system. This new system along with the evolution of general vs. previous early adopter mobility and access for cars and trucks disrupted the viability of retail in many town centers and expanded retail to locations with higher traffic. Cities like Lake Forest that had invested in their infrastructure and maintaining their character were unfettered by these changes, survived intact and resisted the urge to add growth in more trafficked locations. Other cities, meanwhile, embraced the change and developed from these uses.
In the 1970s and 1980s, a significant change occurred, and the age of the enclosed mega malls developed. Wall Street financiers capitalized on brand equity and the growth of regional shopping centers where customers would flock to pick up daily needs, shoes, furniture and clothing. The retail experience was transformed, energy moved to these centralized locations, and national brands enjoyed much success from reaching a larger radius of regional clientele.
The success and the national growth of retail was staggering, many say even overbuilt. Because the malls had been successful in attracting capital from Wall Street, a new classification of retailers fought to take market share from them and there was the innovation of Big Box retail. These retailers, many of them being discount retailers, congregated around the malls and
that were the past beneficiaries of sales and property tax now are offering incentives to mall owners to keep them alive and vibrant. They are doing everything possible to keep the needs of the community competitive and keep the tax base and value proposition for their community. Malls are transitioning through adding housing where anchor tenants once stood, or converting entire areas into warehouse parks or grocer anchored shopping centers.
Many think that the next disrupter will be a continuance of retail transitioning into warehousing. However there is much new talk about the decentralization of the internet, Web 3.0 and the Metaverse. For retail, one thing is clear, consumer movement has drifted to online ordering instead of in-store purchases, with many
of the most capable retailers adopting online strategies to stay competitive.
As the world continues its never-ending movement and disruption to what we feel is normal, Market Square itself was a disrupter a century ago, aiming to siphon off downtown department
aimed to clip market share and traffic from those passing to go to the mall. Malls saw a slow downturn in internal traffic and
store shopping to this new commercial center
Art Fair in Maket Square 2021
sales with the new growth of retail now being centralized in regional retailers, national restaurant chains, and entertainment venues. Market share for city districts were eroded and in many cases multiple stores chased the same customer for the same product.
Then with the 1990s through today has come the internet, an even bigger disrupter to retail and ecommerce. Internet 1.0, then Internet 2.0 created convenience for every item one might
Lake Forest Bank & Trust ca. 1990
think of purchasing and delivered directly to a house or business. The new online retail age emerged around warehouses and click-to-home delivery took shape. Whole parks of warehouse buildings began to pop up and malls and big box retail begin to empty out. Forward thinking municipalities
around motor vehicles. We as Lake Foresters should feel great comfort that our history has in many ways protected our community from these more recent changes. We are lucky that over 100 years ago our citizens invested in developing a town square with great architecture and character. Our Market Square, thanks to the initial investors, the brilliance of Shaw, and those who have committed to its ongoing maintenance, is a place that brings our community together.
Lake Forest is a special place to live. Thought and planning should be paramount in decisions as we move forward with growth and thoughts on potential implementation of private and public partnerships, rent control, tax abatements, and studies of other incentive levers that can be used to bring vibrancy and architecture while servicing the needs of the community. Pressure will continue, including macro retail and investment trends, ever increasing real estate property and other taxes, inflation of product prices, increasing employment expenses, cost of construction, and higher rent. Our community should be forward thinking in identifying the desires and needs of the community with the thought process of how do we make Lake Forest prosper long into the future, and how do we do this adding to and not lessoning our beautiful historic visual character.
Author Jason Smith’s current development project has been bringing the vitality of the highly regarded Le Colonial restaurant group to the heart of Lake Forest’s business district. This venture within the early 20th century fire and police station in Market Square’s southwest corner aims to attract discerning visitors to the neighborhood. Jason is a LFPF Board Director.
2021 programs in review
Annual Meeting
June Garden Stroll
Crab Tree Farm Tour
The Preservation Foundation hosted several excellent programs and events last year amid COVID and the many challenges it presented. We thank all of our wonderful hosts as well as our members and guests who enjoyed while supporting us.
We started off the spring with writer, Lake Bluff resident and architectural historian, Paul Bergmann, who explored his recent book, The Architecture of Stanley D. Anderson.
Following our May 16th Annual Meeting, Laura and Geoffrey Luce took us on a wonderful virtual home tour. Designed by David Adler and built in 1927 for Mr. and Mrs. William E. Clow, Jr.. They highlighted the property’s unique composition of style, balance and detail that is quintessentially Adler.
Our two summer garden strolls and holiday party surfed across the Covid waves from Burlington & Whitehouse’s 1889 Tuttle mansion near Forest Park to Alfred Granger’s 1924 DeLong residence opposite Onwentsia, to Adler’s 1930 Innisfail II. The current stewards of these historic homes and gardens—the Bryzinskis and Durburgs—have each preserved and maintained these local landmarks and their gardens.
Mid summer brought the annual fundraiser visit to Crab Tree Farm, graciously made
available by Mrs. John Bryan. The Farm is an ensemble of 1911 historic farm buildings by Solon S. Beman, with a landscape originally by Jens Jensen and in modern times by Charles Stick from Charlottesville, VA and Peter Wirtz from Belgium.
In November architect and well-known historian of his profession Stuart Cohen, gave a talk about his new book, Frank Lloyd Wright and the Architects of Steinway Hall. He and his book stress the importance of collaboration of Wright with his peers of the 1890s and early 20th century. The talk was followed by a visit to Lake Forest’s only Wright commission, the 1950s Charles Glore Jr. residence, an outstanding late work of the architect for its simplicity, fine materials, ravine edge setting, and excellent restored condition. The hosts, Mary Keefe and Bob Scales, were generous in entertaining the group and were congratulated for its condition and that of the grounds, it’s beautiful setting.
The holiday party at the Smith house visited David Adler’s 1930 second Cudahy estate, Innisfail II, facing east to West Park. The iconic mansion has been restored by Architect Adrian Smith and his spouse Nancy, with their son Jason. The party there capped an LFPF year that was both historic and global.
August Garden Stroll
Frank Lloyd Wright Home Tour
Holiday Celebration
Preservation Foundation Launches its Fourth Decade of Awards, Spring 2022
What are all those “Preservation Foundation” signs that usually go up in the Spring? Once again in late April for May Preservation Month signs will go up around town on the lawns of properties winning awards in the last decade. After a pandemic year 2021 hiatus, the LFPF is resuming its effort to celebrate the best of local preservation in a city nationally known for its historic character.
Since it introduced in 1991 its program to give award plaques to noteworthy preserved, rehabilitated and compatible new buildings
and landscapes, Lake Forest Preservation Foundation has recognized more than 250 properties. These awards, presented at our annual meeting, this year on Sunday, May 1, honor local places in five categories; Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration, Reconstruction and Infill.
Nominations being accepted on the LFPF website can be made at www.lfpf.org, under “Learn” and then “Awards,” nominations can be made by neighbors, professionals and owners themselves. Past award winners are
listed with photographs on the website, also under “Awards.” The deadline for applications for the 2022 awards is March 25. Questions can be addressed by email, [email protected] or phone 847-234-1230.
lfpf membership
Join or Renew for 2022
All Lake Forest residents and interested individuals are invited to join the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation. Members enjoy educational programs and social events throughout the year. Our popular summer garden strolls are a fun, casual way, to visit a beautiful garden of a treasured Lake Forest historic home. Throughout the year, we have varied venues, often educational in nature, by local architects, noted historians, and authors of recently published books. Our annual Members only Holiday celebration is always a sold out event.
Membership is up 35% from last year. Various levels of membership support our ongoing educational efforts, advocacy, and social events. All our programs provide some level of engagement with a lighthearted social twist. Members always enjoy discounted admission. Come enjoy Lake Forest with us at one our upcoming events.
Visit the LFPF.org website and click on the Membership tab or use this QR code to join or renew.
lfpf membership
Join or Renew for 2022
All Lake Forest residents and interested individuals are invited to join the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation. Members enjoy educational programs and social events throughout the year. Our popular summer garden strolls are a fun, casual way, to visit a beautiful garden of a treasured Lake Forest historic home. Throughout the year, we have varied venues, often educational in nature, by local architects, noted historians, and authors of recently published books. Our annual Members only Holiday celebration is always a sold out event.
Membership is up 35% from last year. Various levels of membership support our ongoing educational efforts, advocacy, and social events. All our programs provide some level of engagement with a lighthearted social twist. Members always enjoy discounted admission. Come enjoy Lake Forest with us at one our upcoming events.
Visit the LFPF.org website and click on the Membership tab or use this QR code to join or renew. Record Year for our 2021 Annual Fund
The community has spoken, and they have shown their support. The 2021 Annual Fund raised
$70,000, up 25% from last year. Support numbers were up in both dollars and number of individual contributors. A large majority of our annual fund donors are also members of the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation. Thank you for your ongoing support!
The Annual Fund supports special projects such as the Lake Forest central business district historic plaques, which will be installed this spring, and coming soon an updated guide to historic properties in Lake Forest. Previously, we have invested in physical projects such as the renovation and upkeep of historic gates and more recently a complete renovation of the east Lake Forest Train Station.
Advocacy is an important component of the LFPF. Several of our board members advocate on behalf of homeowners, business owners and the city to ensure all participants of development projects adhere to the same standards. Appreciating the historic visual character of Lake Forest is innate to many. Well maintained historic buildings, neighborhoods and streetscapes are artful and supportive of sustainability goals. We believe a long-term vs. short-term view, of investing in a city’s historically unique visual character, becomes the basis for a strong local economy as has been demonstrated in other places across the country and around the world.
book review:
the newport experience
A pandemic published coffee table book of interest to Lake Foresters is Jeannine Falino’s The Newport Experience:
Sustaining Preservation into the 21st Century. The photographs of great houses of 12 decades ago never cease to generate awe. The
preserved, publicly accessible examples are of “World Heritage” quality, while expressing an excess that Chicagoans balanced at Lake Forest with their landscaped and garden-designed natural settings. But then these Midwesterners had endless fresh water from Lake Michigan to lavish on their gardens, as noted by visiting Garden Club of America Newporters in 1919.
LAKE FOREST PRESERVATION FOUNDATION
2021-2022
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Susan Rafferty Athenson
President
Michelle Curry
VP Communications
Elizabeth Abbattista
VP Development
Trey Gonzales Courtney Trombley VP Programs
John Julian
Secretary
Craig Fox
Treasurer
Peter Coutant
Immediate Past President
DIRECTORS
Robert Alfe Liz Brandel
Jennifer Durburg Jim Farrell Sr.
Adrienne Fawcett Angela Fontana Perry Georgopoulos Lauren Kelly
Tim Knight Debbie Marcusson Brian Norton
Jim Opsitnik Patti Poth
Natalie Reinkemeyer Jason Smith
Sarah Somers
Scott Streightiff
HONORARY DIRECTORS
Arthur Miller Pauline Mohr Shirley Paddock Linda Shields Lorraine Tweed
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Marcy Kerr
PRESERVATION
SPRING 2022
VOLUME 17, NUMBER 1
Contributors:
Elizabeth Abbattista, Susan Athenson, Adrienne Fawcett, Perry Georgopoulos, Trey Gonzales, Marcy Kerr, Arthur Miller, Pauline Mohr, Jason Smith, Courtney Trombley
Editor: Michelle Curry
Photography: Paul Bergmann and Cappy Johnston
Lake Forest
Preservation Foundation
400 East Illinois Road Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 www.lfpf.org
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID PERMIT NO. 184 LAKE FOREST, IL
60045
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID PERMIT NO. 184 LAKE FOREST, IL
60045
ECRWSS
Residential Customer Lake Forest, IL 60045
programs to look forward to…
SUNDAY, MAY 1
Annual Meeting and Presentation of 2022 Historic Preservation Awards 1:00 PM – Gorton Community Center
Member reception to follow at an historic residence. Join or renew your membership to attend.
SATURDAY, MAY 7
Lake Forest Forward: A Sensible and Sensitive Approach to Development in our Historic Center
4:00 PM – Lake Forest Lake Bluff History Center
With guest speaker, Stefanos Polyzoides, Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame, Architect and Urban Planner and Thomas Norman Rajkovich, Local Architect.
FRIDAY, JUNE 24
Early Summer Garden Stroll
5:30 – 7:30 PM – Location to be announced
Join us for a leisurely stroll through the charming gardens of an historic property in Lake Forest.
SATURDAY, JULY 16
Annual Crab Tree Farm Tour
10:00 AM and 1:00 PM – Crab Tree Farm, Lake Bluff
Enjoy a walking tour of the last operating farm located on Lake Michigan. Always a crowd pleaser!
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26
Late Summer Garden Stroll
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM – Location to be announced
Treat your senses to a beautiful garden bursting with beautiful color and exquisite detail.
additional programs and events to be announced:
Historic Plaques Launch Party Historic Progressive Dinner
d
dTour of Lake Forest’s Historic Churches Holiday Celebration and more…
Check our website for event details and updates at lfpf.org/events
Members always attend free or at discounted prices. Join or renew your membership today.
The Lake Forest Preservation Foundation is a tax-exempt nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
You may donate directly to us at LFPF.org.
