2016 Fall Newsletter

Fall 2016 2016 Annual Benefit Architectural House and Garden Tour Photo by Cappy Johnston Celebrate LFPF’s 40th Birthday with us! Saturday, November 19th, East Train Station. See Page 3 for more details. Fall Architectural House and Garden Tour The Old South Woods The Preservation Foundation celebrated the annual benefit on the afternoon of October 2 Many thanks to the Homeowners featured in this newsletter. Our Generous Sponsors: Forest & Bluff, Tour Media Sponsor Lake Forest Bank & Trust, Tour Sponsor Schiff Hardin, Tour Sponsor April’s Linens Bailey & Hart Beauty Spot Craig Bergmann Landscape Design Davey Tree DiVinci Painters Fitness Together Forest North Dental Fresh Market Gardens in Progress Knauz Motors Lake Forest Hearing Professionals Lake Forest Place Mariani Landscape Market House on the Square Meadow Ridge Townhomes Melichar Architects Merrill Lynch/Tim Newman Northwest Vascular and Vein Specialists Shea Lubecke Designs Linda and Jerry Shields Strauss & Malk LLP Sunset Foods The UPS Store Timbers Edge Luxury Homes V.J. Killian Webb Financial Group The Committee, House Chairs and many Docents Without their support and time, this lovely event would not have been possible. Fall Architectural House and Garden Tour The Old South Woods The Preservation Foundation celebrated the annual benefit on the afternoon of October 2 Many thanks to the Homeowners featured in this newsletter. Our Generous Sponsors: Forest & Bluff, Tour Media Sponsor Lake Forest Bank & Trust, Tour Sponsor Schiff Hardin, Tour Sponsor April’s Linens Bailey & Hart Beauty Spot Craig Bergmann Landscape Design Davey Tree DiVinci Painters Fitness Together Forest North Dental Fresh Market Gardens in Progress Knauz Motors Lake Forest Hearing Professionals Lake Forest Place Mariani Landscape Market House on the Square Meadow Ridge Townhomes Melichar Architects Merrill Lynch/Tim Newman Northwest Vascular and Vein Specialists Shea Lubecke Designs Linda and Jerry Shields Strauss & Malk LLP Sunset Foods The UPS Store Timbers Edge Luxury Homes V.J. Killian Webb Financial Group The Committee, House Chairs and many Docents Without their support and time, this lovely event would not have been possible.From the President Dear fellow residents of Lake Forest and friends of preservation, The Preservation Foundation is taking a 40th anniversary year victory lap over its success in contributing to preserving the historic visual character of our city while balancing essential additions in recent years: new buildings at Lake Forest Academy and Lake Forest College, the 2009-completed Municipal Services Building, and the Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital building to be completed next year. While the considerable investment in preserving and maintaining local landmark structures has been less visible, these efforts are no less significant. These include Market Square and the Deer Path Inn, each with new ownership and major commitment to preservation and renovation. Notable, too, are the restorations of Elawa Farm, the City’s Grove Campus, and the completion of the East Lake Forest train station’s brick exterior restoration. Overall this 2011-16 station project has been a great partnership of the Preservation Foundation with the City of Lake Forest, Chicago preservation architect Gunny Harboe, and financing contributions from Metra and federal sources. On Sunday, October 2, the Preservation Foundation held its annual Benefit House and Garden Tour with about two hundred participants in the south Mayflower Road area. Four houses representing outstanding stewardship of iconic local residential landmarks—like David Adler’s 1928 five-story and rooftop Hamill tower. Also included was the more recent 2002-completed Italian villa that shows the continuation of local traditions of architectural quality and links to the landscape. Guests received copies of Barry Carroll’s 1996-published (and still available in stores) photo book, Lake Forest—A Very Special Place. The book’s introduction by Frank Hamilton concludes that Lake Forest “continues to [balance delicately] old and new, embracing necessary changes while holding tightly to its rich past.” We couldn’t say it better two decades later. Forty years after the Preservation Foundation was organized under the leadership of Edward Bennett, Jr., in response to threats of tear downs and decay, this group with over five-hundred investors and participants continues to advocate for consistent planning and for reuse of older buildings rather than removal of them. Our growing support shows that the community backs this effort at continuity partnered with progress. With gratitude to Lake Forest’s residents, Join us at the East Train Station on November 19th . . . as we celebrate the Foundation’s 40th birthday! Come view and learn about the stunning restoration completed this fall of the historic 1900 station’s exterior, begun with the new slate roof in 2011. Based on the LFPF-funded 2009 Historic Structure Report by Gunny Harboe’s Chicago preservation architectural firm, the City was able to secure nearly $3 million in federal and Metra funds to carry out this restoration, overseen by Harboe himself. The grant also will include the creation of new restrooms in the former freight office and dry cleaning drop off location south of the present waiting room. Restoration of the waiting room itself, however, will require funding beyond the scope of the City, Metra, and Federal dollars obtained, due to unavoidable cost overruns for repairs and infrastructure. Completion of the interior of the north former bank and former ladies’ waiting room is being saved for a future tenant. The Preservation Foundation proposes to return the current waiting room and corridors as they have been configured since the 1980s, much to their original appearance in 1900. This includes installing durable, close-to-original-character flooring, restoring the wide plank horizontal paneling, and adding new lighting fixtures that recall the combination gas-and-electric fixtures that were there in the original Frost & Granger plans. The benches require restoration, and the walls also require some work. Lake Forest Preservation Foundation’s 40th Birthday Party & Community oPen house East Train Station ~ Designed by Frost & Granger, 1900 Saturday, November 19th 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Tour the Newly Completed Exterior Restoration View Plans of Proposed Interior Renovation Learn about Station’s technical and design history Tour the 1900-1970 operating tunnel under the tracks Contribute to a Time Capsule to be opened in 2116 Enjoy Birthday Cake and seasonal treats Kick Off LFPF’s Annual Fund Dedicated to the Station’s Interior Renovation – LFPF to match the first $25,000 donated to this year’s annual fund Lake Forest Preservation Foundation’s 40th Birthday Party & Community oPen house East Train Station ~ Designed by Frost & Granger, 1900 Saturday, November 19th 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Tour the Newly Completed Exterior Restoration View Plans of Proposed Interior Renovation Learn about Station’s technical and design history Tour the 1900-1970 operating tunnel under the tracks Contribute to a Time Capsule to be opened in 2116 Enjoy Birthday Cake and seasonal treats Kick Off LFPF’s Annual Fund Dedicated to the Station’s Interior Renovation – LFPF to match the first $25,000 donated to this year’s annual fundThe Foundation hopes to be able to defray a large portion of this cost to enable the City not only to complement the superb quality of the restored exterior but also to recreate more effectively and more comfortably the men’s waiting room of 1900. The LFPF Board of Directors is proud to announce that all funds donated during the Foundation’s Annual Fund campaign through 12/31/2016 will be matched by the Foundation up to $25,000. 2016 AnnuAl Benefit ArchitecturAl house And GArden tour The Old South Woods: The Estate Legacy of the East Illinois, South Mayflower, Stone Gate, and Walden Roads Neighborhood This year’s Annual House and Garden Tour highlighted five estates in the close-to-the-lake section of southeast Lake Forest, an area known as the Old South Woods, on and near the south end of Mayflower Road. This very countrified section of Lake Forest, off the beaten path quite literally, features five stunning houses and gardens from the 1910s, 1920s, 1940s, and 21st century – each one a model of classic design principles applied masterfully by some of the country’s finest architects, landscape architects, artists, and interior designers – and well preserved through the great stewardship of their owners. More information on the history of each of these five properties can be found on the Foundation’s website, www.LFPF.org. 51 south mayflower road Current Owners: Eva and Craig Quackenbush Original Owners: Alfred Ernest and Clarice Walther Hamill Architect: David Adler, 1928 Muralist: Nikolai Remisoff Landscape Architects: O.C. Simonds, and Ferruccio Vitale Renovation Architect: John Vinci Driving past the corner of Mayflower and Walden Roads, many people have wondered about the history, architecture, and use of one of the most intriguing and unique buildings in Lake Forest – the “tower house.” Guests at our annual House and Garden Tour on Sunday afternoon, October 2nd, were able to satisfy their curiosity by visiting this home, built by David Adler in 1928 as a garage, servants’ quarters, greenhouse, and private retreat for the Centaurs estate to the northeast. The Centaurs estate and its companion service building and belvedere were originally owned by Alfred E. Hamill, a 20th century humanist and Renaissance man. In addition to his career as a successful partner in the investment firm of Goldman Sachs, Hamill was a poet, a collector of rare books with a 10,000-volume personal library, and a trustee of both the Art Institute of Chicago and the Newberry Library. Under Hamill’s leadership as president of the Lake Forest Library, the classic revival building (1931), still in use today, was built. Hamill donated books from his own collection for the library and also gathered artwork for the building. After Hamill’s death in 1953, Mrs. Clarice Walther Hamill sold the estate in three parcels—the main house facing Illinois Road, the belvedere lot on the ravine south of the house, and the tower building. This tower building was used as a residence until the 1980s, when Eva and Craig Quackenbush renovated and fully repurposed it as an expansive 7,000 square foot house. Their 1980s architect was John Vinci (Vinci/Hamp architects, Chicago), who creatively navigated the challenges of 18-21” masonry walls to create a workable, residential floor plan. The focal point of the house remains the 75-foot, square Tuscan tower with its two-story study decorated with Byzantine-inspired murals, which have been preserved in their original state. The ancient-Greek themed murals were painted by Nikolai Remisoff, a highly regarded Russian emigrant painter and stage designer in the 1920s and 30s. Remisoff also painted the notable classic murals in the Lake Forest Library rotunda. The inscription under one of the tower murals, taken from Ptolemy’s Almagest, a guide to astronomy written in the second century, reads: “I know that I am mortal and just for a day, but when I search the tightly spinning wheels of the stars I no longer touch the earth with my feet but along with Zeus himself I feast with the gods and take my fill of ambrosia.” There are 101 steps from the ground floor to the observation roof of the tower. Originally, the tower’s second floor held servants’ quarters but now serves as the master bedroom suite. The third floor houses a child’s bedroom, which originally was an Art Deco playroom for Hamill’s sons, Ernest and Corwith, to enjoy while he was visiting his study above. Originally built with a separate, private entrance, the next level contains the two-story-high Byzantine study where Hamill kept a few volumes from his rare book collection and to which he retreated from his everyday life. Finally, the top floor holds a small apartment and the entryway to the final staircase leading to the rooftop terrace. The view from the roof is just above the tree-tops with Lake Michigan in the distance, a thin sliver of blue on the horizon. 20 stone Gate road Current Owners: Francis III and Prudence Richardson Beidler Previous Owner: Mrs. Francis Beidler (Elizabeth Loose), 1928 Original Owners: Lowell M. and Elizabeth C. Chapin, 1926 Original Architect: Harrie T. Lindeberg Original Landscape Architect: Ferruccio Vitale Renovation Architect: Thomas Rajkovich Renovation Landscape Architect: Peter Lindsay Shaudt Completed in 1926, the house is an elegant, smaller version of the tall-roofed French Renaissance style of both the nearby Wyldwoode estate and of the 1928 Onwentsia clubhouse. Previous owner, Elizabeth Beidler, purchased the house in 1928 and it has remained in the family since. By the early 1970s it became the home of the current owners, Francis’s son, Frank, and his wife, Prue. 1050 walden road Current Owners: Donald J. and Pamela Neal Suter Original Owners: Francis Beidler, II (1897-1984) and Eleanor Chapman Beidler (1910-2004) Original Architect: Ralph J. Milman Landscape Architect: Helen Milman, 1942 Landscape Architect: Warren Manning, 1896 (Gates to Stone Gate and Walden Roads) Completed in 1942, this is the last of the Country Place Era, 1893-1942, estate houses to be built in Lake Forest. The style, Neoclassical Georgian, represents the tail end of the Neoclassical Revival movement in architecture (1900-1940s). The detailing throughout is often Art Deco. 1045 walden road Owners/Creators Interior and Gardens: Anne and Robert Krebs Architect: David Poulton Interior and Courtyard Artists: Cindy and Jorge Simes Original Landscape Architects: Warren Manning and Helen Milman This classic two-story Italianate villa, completed in 2002, is built on land formerly part of the 1942 Beidler estate (1050 Walden Road) landscaped by Helen Milman, which itself was part of the earlier 1896 McCormick estate, Walden, landscaped by Warren Manning. The building layout follows a classic courtyard plan with a motor court to the west and formal gardens on the east. Working with earlier layers of landscaping, the owners created their own formal gardens in the Italianate manner. wyldwoode, 55 north mayflower road Current Owners: Barbara and Barry J. Carroll Original Owners: Clyde Mitchell Carr and Lillian Van Alstyne Carr Original Architect: Harrie T. Lindeberg Original Landscape Architect: Warren Manning Metal Artist: Oscar Bruno Bach Architect Harrie T. Lindeberg (1879-1959) was at a peak in his career in 1916 when he designed this house, one of his last houses in the waning years of the Gilded Age that terminates generally at 1913, with the re-imposition of the federal income tax. This house was designed in a Norman French Renaissance style, with its half-timbering and tall roof. The plan is unique, with its round entry to a lateral hall, the rooms on the east having views to the lake, and to the west, the garden. On the north side is a formal garden, intended as an infinity garden dropping off with a view across the ravine. lAkelAndwood GArden stroll August 26, 2016 Nearly 150 LFPF members and guests spent a magical August evening enjoying the spectacular D. H. Burnham & Co. designed Lakelandwood gardens overlooking Lake Michigan. Owners David and Annette Dezelan, above left. Stanley Field, the son of Joseph and nephew of Marshall Field I, built his estate between 1913 and 1916 on 33 acres of wooded lakefront and ravine property. What remained of the main house was torn down in the mid-1970s, and the parcel was subdivided and developed. The original brick walls and gazebo were since renovated to enhance lake views and to complement the indoor/outdoor synergy created by the mid-century modern home designed by noted Chicago architect Roy Binkley. Said the Dezelans about their garden’s in-progress-tended grounds, “We are proud to be stewards of these gardens which are lived in and loved by plants, animals and humans. We feel honored to share them with the community.” Remembering Former Board Member Priscilla Billington Former Lake Forest Preservation Foundation board member and devoted preservationist Priscilla Billington passed away September 17, 2016. She served on the Foundation Board for 11 years bringing her talent for hospitality and artistry to our meetings, programs, projects and special events. As Membership Chairman she initiated recruiting strategies to attract new members and hosted a number of new member events on her historic property. Priscilla’s notable mid-century modern Lake Forest home was sited on the southeast blufftop corner of the former 1890s Cyrus H. McCormick, Jr. estate, Walden. Her property included the Ravello—the balustrade and pergola overlooking Lake Michigan. Stewardship of her historic house, gardens and the Ravello was exemplary, and her generosity in sharing them with the community for programs, house and garden walks, and gala events is legendary. She approached the rehabilitation of the Walden-Bluff’s Edge Bridge as a personal project and for many years maintained beautifully the planters and small gardens at the entrance to the bridge on the Bluff’s Edge side. Priscilla’s personal talents created a legacy that resides in the products of her artistry: her wonderful metal flower sculptures; the intricately constructed miniature rooms, now on display at the Lake Bluff History Museum; and the Foundation’s flags, the design and fabrication of which she oversaw. 2016 Annual Fund “Station Bound” All Donations Plus Foundation Match dedicated to recreate a quality circa 1900/turn of the century Train Station Interior! To the community, The Lake Forest Preservation Foundation is earmarking 100% of your 2016 end-of-year annual fund contributions to partner with the City to ensure the quality and historic character of the rehabilitation of the train station interior, scheduled for 2017. Because this waiting room is a significant gateway into our town, the Foundation will match all donations up to a total of $25,000 contributed by year-end. The Foundation’s board of directors hope that this will encourage a wide spectrum of community stakeholders to step up to make this renovation longer-lasting and respectful of the original design, while increasing its usefulness for the next 100 years. Since 2007-08 a key focus of the Preservation Foundation has included the need to restore and rehabilitate Lake Forest’s historic, architecturally-significant east train station. The Foundation funded the 2009-completed Historic Structure Report by the firm of noted preservation architect Gunny Harboe. This helped the City gain two major federal grants and significant Metra assistance. These have funded the 2011 new slate roof, hipped passenger sheds, and restoration of the dormers and this year’s meticulous restoration of the stone, brick, mortar, and timber station exterior. In the next phase, new washrooms will be built in the former south side freight office, a major upgrade from the current facilities. New research mostly by LFPF member and resident David Mattoon has discovered much of the information that aided in this process, including the original circa 1900 architects’ plans. To accommodate findings of the 2009 Harboe report and the new information about the historic interior, the Foundation seeks to provide a rehabilitated waiting room and ticket area that includes: New flooring equal in durability to the previous material that lasted from 1900 until the 1980s and reflects that historic character. New waiting room wall wainscoting and upper wall surface; wainscoting like the original broad plank horizontal type still found in the 1903 Lake Bluff station by Frost & Granger. Refurbished 1900-era benches, last rehabbed in the 1980s. New lighting appropriately scaled and recalling the stations original combination gas and electric fixtures that have been documented from historic photographs of the station. Please use the envelope attached to this issue of Preservation to participate in this very special one-time “station bound” appeal to rehabilitate the station interior to be consistent with the handsomely restored exterior, resulting in a suitable gateway to Lake Forest, of which we can all be proud! Annual Fund committee: Ingrid Bryzinski, VP, Development and Chair; board members Stephen Bent, Judy Boggess, Gail Hodges, and Tom Gleason with Arthur Miller, president. 2016 Annual Fund “Station Bound” All Donations Plus Foundation Match dedicated to recreate a quality circa 1900/turn of the century Train Station Interior! To the community, The Lake Forest Preservation Foundation is earmarking 100% of your 2016 end-of-year annual fund contributions to partner with the City to ensure the quality and historic character of the rehabilitation of the train station interior, scheduled for 2017. Because this waiting room is a significant gateway into our town, the Foundation will match all donations up to a total of $25,000 contributed by year-end. The Foundation’s board of directors hope that this will encourage a wide spectrum of community stakeholders to step up to make this renovation longer-lasting and respectful of the original design, while increasing its usefulness for the next 100 years. Since 2007-08 a key focus of the Preservation Foundation has included the need to restore and rehabilitate Lake Forest’s historic, architecturally-significant east train station. The Foundation funded the 2009-completed Historic Structure Report by the firm of noted preservation architect Gunny Harboe. This helped the City gain two major federal grants and significant Metra assistance. These have funded the 2011 new slate roof, hipped passenger sheds, and restoration of the dormers and this year’s meticulous restoration of the stone, brick, mortar, and timber station exterior. In the next phase, new washrooms will be built in the former south side freight office, a major upgrade from the current facilities. New research mostly by LFPF member and resident David Mattoon has discovered much of the information that aided in this process, including the original circa 1900 architects’ plans. To accommodate findings of the 2009 Harboe report and the new information about the historic interior, the Foundation seeks to provide a rehabilitated waiting room and ticket area that includes: New flooring equal in durability to the previous material that lasted from 1900 until the 1980s and reflects that historic character. New waiting room wall wainscoting and upper wall surface; wainscoting like the original broad plank horizontal type still found in the 1903 Lake Bluff station by Frost & Granger. Refurbished 1900-era benches, last rehabbed in the 1980s. New lighting appropriately scaled and recalling the stations original combination gas and electric fixtures that have been documented from historic photographs of the station. Please use the envelope attached to this issue of Preservation to participate in this very special one-time “station bound” appeal to rehabilitate the station interior to be consistent with the handsomely restored exterior, resulting in a suitable gateway to Lake Forest, of which we can all be proud! Annual Fund committee: Ingrid Bryzinski, VP, Development and Chair; board members Stephen Bent, Judy Boggess, Gail Hodges, and Tom Gleason with Arthur Miller, president. St. Patrick Church Completes Restoration of Historic Stained Glass Windows This past August St. Patrick Church located at Waukegan and Everett Roads completed a spectacular restoration of its 19 historic stained glass windows. Repair of each window was undertaken by Jon-Lee Art Glass, a company that specializes in stained glass restoration. The restoration process for each window included removal of the old external protective plastic panes, repair or replacement of the ‘came’ (the elements used to join each pane of glass), followed by a thorough cleaning of the entire window. The frames and sills were scraped and sanded down to their original wood and any needed repairs were made. The frames were then oiled, primed, and painted, and the restored stained glass reinstalled. Finally, new external shatterproof protective windows were installed to guard the stained glass from any debris that could damage the window. According to research prepared by Tim Klunder, communications director at St. Patrick Church, each of the church’s stained glass windows has a special connection to the founding families of the parish and Lake Forest. St. Patrick’s traces its establishment to the early 1840s, shortly after the arrival of the first European settlers to the area and pre-dating the exodus of the Potawatomi tribe, making it the oldest parish in Lake Forest and among the oldest in Lake County. When the current building was constructed in 1909 to replace an older structure, many of the windows were donated by members of the church in honor of their ancestors who settled the surrounding area and established St. Patrick. Klunder’s research has been compiled into a fascinating history of the church. Each window has its own unique story and these can be found on the church’s website, www.stpatrick-lakeforest.org. A fundraising campaign led by the church raised more than $100,000 toward the restoration project. Annual Holiday Celebration t Join the membership for wine and hors d’oeuvres. Sunday, December 4, 2016 Two O’clock to Four O’clock Advance Reservations Only Please RSVP by December 1, 2016 www.lfpf.org ~ (847) 234-1230 [email protected]. Annual Holiday Celebration t Join the membership for wine and hors d’oeuvres. Sunday, December 4, 2016 Two O’clock to Four O’clock Advance Reservations Only Please RSVP by December 1, 2016 www.lfpf.org ~ (847) 234-1230 [email protected]. o/reeLAKE FOREST PRESERVATION FOUNDATION 2016-2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Arthur Miller President Ingrid Bryzinski VP Development Tom Gleason Laura Luce VP Programs Maureen Grinnell Secretary Peggy Pandaleon Treasurer DIRECTORS Guy Berg Lynn Bertram Judy Boggess Stephen Bent Maggie Coleman Peter Coutant Cathy Dohnalek Sharon A. Harvey Linda Liang Roger Mohr Elizabeth Moore Fred Moyer Jim Opsitnik Kurt Pairitz Sara TenBroek Lynn Van Cleave Kent Woloson HONORARY DIRECTORS Herbert Geist Gail Hodges Pauline Mohr Shirley Paddock Linda Shields Lorraine Tweed EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marcy Kerr PreserVAtion FALL 2016 – VOLUME 9, NUMBER 3 ContriBUtors: Peter Coutant Maureen Grinnell Arthur Miller Pauline Mohr Peggy Pandaleon PhotoGrAPhY: 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 Lake Forest Preservation Foundation’s 40th Birthday Party & Community oPen house East Train Station Saturday, November 19th | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Visit our website for more details www.lfpf.org Lake Forest Preservation Foundation’s 40th Birthday Party & Community oPen house East Train Station Saturday, November 19th | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Visit our website for more details www.lfpf.orgResidential Customer Lake Forest, IL 60045