From Preservation Online, the online magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

www.preservationonline.org

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

E-mail the writer with advice, comments, or commiseration.

Got a 911 in your town? Send us an e-mail.

Preservation 911 is a message board open to all readers. While National Trust staff will respond to the extent feasible, this will not be possible in all cases. We encourage other readers involved in state or local preservation to respond with advice or assistance. To contact either a regional office of the National Trust, a statewide or local nonprofit organization, or your state's historic preservation office, click here for a state-by-state list.

The National Trust's regional and field offices bring the programs and tools of the Trust to communities across the country. They offer technical assistance through consultations and field visits and financial help through small grants. They hold educational programs for professional preservationists and work to foster policies that help historic places. They also provide leadership on issues that concern entire regions, such as saving historic schools, fighting sprawl, and revitalizing cities.

All Rights Reserved © Preservation Magazine | Contact us at: preservation@nthp.org