Latest news with #NapervillePreservation
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville Preservation holds contest to help document historic Tosi houses
Orange doors, geometric balconies and triangular chimneys: these are some of the features that distinguish the mid-century modern houses designed by architect Don Tosi. The homes he built in Naperville and elsewhere represent a journey to the past — specifically, to a post-World War II era that offered a promise of a bright future for young families. 'I think the Don Tosi homes are probably the most representative of that time of great growth and optimism in Naperville,' said Jane Burke, secretary of Naperville Preservation Inc. The nonprofit — in collaboration with Chicago-based firm Preservation Futures — is in the process of documenting all of Tosi homes in Naperville to help preserve and educate the public about the unique homes that capture a very different time in the city's past. To help with the effort, Naperville Preservation is hosting a 'Spot the Tosi' contest in which participants are vying for a $100 gift card to the Italian restaurant Gia Mia in downtown Naperville. The contest closes at midnight Friday. It is the third architectural survey being done by the local preservation group. It previously conducted two surveys — one in East Highlands in 2022 and the other in River Haven Estates in 2023 — to determine how many mid-century modern homes remain standing in those neighborhoods. Their surveys revealed that while the majority of the historic homes in River Haven Estates were mostly intact, more than half of the 1950s-era homes in the East Highlands had been torn down to make way for sizable upgrades. It's possible Tosi houses fell victim to the wrecking ball. 'Some of the houses in those surveys were built by Don Tosi and we found that there was a lot of interest with people about mid-century and then about Don Tosi,' Naperville Preservation Inc. President Bill Simon said. The buzz around Don Tosi gave the nonprofit the idea to do another survey, this time focusing just on Tosi homes in the city. With a total budget of $6,950, it's supported by grants from the Naperville Special Events and Community Arts Commission, the Driehaus Foundation and the Donnelly Foundation. Simon said that while the organization had information on some of the Tosi homes in Naperville, they realized they could collect more with the public's help. So far, seven people have submitted entries to the contest, with participants identifying a total of 56 Tosi homes. Tosi's architectural career started in the 1950s in Aurora, according to the former state publication Historic Illinois. At the age of 26, Tosi helped implement architect Bruce Goff's vision for the Sam and Ruth Van Sickle Ford House, one of the most renowned homes in Aurora to this day. 'Bruce Goff brought him on,' Simon said. 'They were old wartime buddies, and so he brought him on to do the construction.' That project was crucial in shaping Tosi's future architectural style. He designed and built 16 houses in Aurora between 1951 and 1958, where his homes often included sharp angular features like irregularly shaped rooflines and triangular chimneys. In 1956, Tosi took his design skills and affinity for angularity to the fast-growing Naperville. Features of his Naperville homes included prow-shaped windows, overhanging eaves and cantilevered balconies with no exposed posts on the outside wall for support. Perhaps the most identifiable feature of a Tosi home are his front doors, almost always done in orange — a pop of color that stood out against the browns and beiges of neighboring homes, according to Historic Illinois. These signature doors, occasionally painted in a dark red, were a signature of Tosi house from the mid-1950s to the late-1970s. The Chicago Tribune declared them his 'trademark' feature in his obituary in 2009. Not all of the Tosi homes that remain in Naperville today kept all of the original design features, Simon said. Some people end up replacing the cantilevered balconies because they can be difficult to maintain, he said. Once Naperville Preservation finishes the creation of its Tosi home list, it hopes to publish the findings and share it with the broader community. The organization also hopes their findings may encourage owners of Tosi homes to get their houses landmarked. 'We tend to think of historical buildings as the historic district, the downtown,' Simon said. 'These homes by Don Tosi are really unique — and they are historical now. So we want to raise awareness of them because he is recognized as being a significant designer of homes and builder of homes.'
Chicago Tribune
27-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
DuPage officials hoping user will emerge to renovate Oak Cottage in Naperville's Greene Valley Forest Preserve
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is seeking ideas in the next few months to rehabilitate and reuse the 175-year-old Oak Cottage, which is part of the Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville. Located at the southeast corner of Greene and Hobson roads, the house is an example of a Greek Revival-style farmhouse from the mid-19th century built by one of the early settlers of the Naperville area, said Jessica Ortega, manager of strategic plans and initiatives for the forest district. It was listed as one of the most endangered historic places in Illinois by preservationist organization Landmarks Illinois in 2023. That same year, the DuPage forest preserve district approved the Greene Valley Master Plan, which called for a study to document the house's history and condition and create a timeline for partnering with a third party to propose a use and long-term maintenance strategy for the structure. The report was finished in March, and district officials are asking for statements of interest by Oct. 16 from people or organizations that can preserve the home's historic character. The hope is to identify a partner that can determine a way to restore and maintain the home that aligns with the district's mission of conservation, education and preservation. 'We are really open-minded right now,' Ortega said. Jane Burke, secretary of the nonprofit Naperville Preservation, said seeking a user is a step in the right direction. Oak Cottage is an important symbol of the area's early agricultural heritage nestled in a beautiful setting, she said. The organization looks forward to potential preservation proposals that will be respectful of the cottage and its history, Burke said. 'We're delighted to see the forest preserve district take this step,' she said. 'We definitely do not want it demolished.' The district has maintained the home since it acquired the property in 1983. It's painted and repaired the exterior wood siding and windows, replaced the roof and conducted asbestos abatement on the interior. But Oak Cottage has been vacant since 1983 and is in need of substantial rehabilitation, district officials said. Masonry repair work, in particular, is needed, according to the Cultural Resource Evaluation. Cracking was found at mortar joints of the stone foundation, and settlement was observed at the masonry foundation walls of the main house, the report said. Inside, there is cracked, deteriorated and missing plaster on the walls and ceiling throughout the building. There's also peeling and flaking paint, signs of water damage and biological growth in various areas, the report said. It is assumed Oak Cottage would need new plumbing, electrical work, utilities, heating and air conditioning, windows, some structural repairs and improvements that will make the home accessible to the disabled, Ortega said. While repairs are necessary, the home is in 'remarkably good condition for as old as it is,' Burke said. Kendra Parzen, advocacy manager for Landmarks Illinois, said there are users out there who are interested in adaptive reuse of historic buildings and her organization can act as a resource in the process. According to the district, the process for determining a rehabilitation and reuse includes two phases. First, statements of interest will be evaluated based on factors such as proposed reuse, preservation strategy, project funding and mission alignment. The selected applicants will then enter a second phase that requires a business plan, architectural and engineering plans, and evidence of financial and organizational support, officials said. 'If someone was able to come forward with a viable plan, it would really keep the character of the agricultural farmstead area a little more intact,' Ortega said. Landmarks Illinois called attention to Oak Cottage two years ago as one of nine culturally and architecturally significant sites across the state that faces demolition and is worth preserving. Naperville Preservation at the time encouraged the forest preserve district to find a new use for Oak Cottage to keep with their mission. Once demolished, Oak Cottage cannot be replaced, the organization said. Demolition has not been eliminated as an option moving forward but nothing has been decided, Ortega said. 'Right now we are taking it one step at a time and trying to see if someone raises their hand and shows some interest in developing the building,' she said. A site visit will be held for interested applicants July 16. Oak Cottage was built in 1850 by William B. Greene, who first arrived in DuPage County from Vermont in 1841. Greek Revival-style was popular in the U.S. from the 1820s until the Civil War, and additions to the home were built throughout the years. The balloon framing that was used was considered revolutionary in construction at the time, but fell out of favor after the Great Chicago Fire. Greene played a pivotal role in the development of the area, was instrumental in establishing the area's first store and post office, and helped lay the groundwork for the region's economic development, according to the Cultural Resource Evaluation. Greene was also known for his work in organizing the early government and infrastructure of the area that would become DuPage County. Members of the Greene family would continue to live in the home until 1981. The family donated the surrounding land and home to the forest preserve district in 1970 with an agreement that family could live at Oak Cottage until their passing. 'Today, Oak Cottage and the Greene Barn together provide a window into American agricultural settlement and the continuing development patterns of DuPage County,' Landmarks Illinois recently wrote on social media.
