The Simmons-Cooke House in Waukegan, Ill. (Bill Tyre)

UPDATE: The Simmons-Cooke House was demolished on Apr. 19, 2005.

Dear Preservation 911,

In Waukegan, Ill., we have an important 1854 Greek revival brick residence which has recently been purchased by Lake County, which intends to demolish it to expand their surface parking.

However, we have a verbal agreement with county officials that gives us about six months to find someone who will move the building to another site. They will then give an additional six months for the move to actually occur. They are willing to sell the building for $1.

The Simmons-Cooke House was built in 1854 for Mr. Simmons, a sheriff of Lake County. The brick building has corner brick pilasters, huge floor-to-ceiling windows facing east toward the lake, and a spacious third-floor cupola. Inside, the two main parlors contain exceptional intact Greek Revival moldings and a delicately scaled stairway. The house was acquired by Lake County pioneer Homer Cooke upon his marriage to the Simmons' daughter Sally in the early 1860s.

In the early 1940s, the house was converted into the Quietdale Funeral Home and has sat vacant since the early 1990s. Last summer, Lake County acquired the property in order to expand their adjacent surface parking. The county will delay demolition for up to one year (until early autumn 2005) if a qualified buyer can be found who will move the building to a new site. The purchaser will be responsible for all costs involved, including moving, purchasing a new lot, and building a new foundation. A preliminary estimate for moving the building has been obtained, indicating that the main structure (without later additions) could be moved for approximately $125,000.

The City of Waukegan is interested in keeping the building within the city limits, and a number of privately owned vacant lots are within a feasible distance of the property. The Historic Preservation Commission considers the building eligible for local landmark designation.

An interested and qualified buyer must be identified by March 2005 in order to prevent demolition. If found, the County will then grant an additional six months for the move to take place. Please contact me for more information.

Sincerely,

Bill Tyre
Chairman, Historic Preservation Commission

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