Joliet Historic Preservation Commission - Regular Meeting

To order the City of Joliet Historic Preservation Commission me regular meeting for Wednesday, February 26. It is 06:02PM now. Can we have a roll call?

Anamowski, he's absent. He did tell me he's out of town for work. Bessler? Sure. And I will say Brian Bessler is not a voting member of the commission. Yay. Mister Steven Wright is now a nonvoting member. Okay. So that happened at the last council meeting. Mary Beth Gannon, absent. Kevin Heinemann, absent. Candace Johnson? Here. Kaylee Lowry? Here. Sharon Merwin? Here. Aaron Makotis, absent. Ken Spiegel?

Here.

Sarah Stovall? Here. And Steven Wright? He also told me he would be absent.

Okay. K. Next is the approval of the meeting minutes from the regular preservation commission meeting from 01/22/2025. Is there any amendments that need to be made to those meeting minute minutes? Okay. Seeing none, can there be a motion to approve the meeting minutes?

I'll make a motion to approve the meeting minutes. I'll second.

Is that Sarah?

Yeah. Sorry. It's okay. Alright. We have

a motion and a second. Anamowski. Bessler?

Yes.

Gannon? Heinemann is absent. Johnson? Aye. Lowry? Aye. Merwin? Aye. Spiegel? Aye. Stovall?

Aye. Okay. That passes. Okay. Next is citizens to be heard on agenda items.

You okay?

Yeah, we're good now. Okay.

There are no citizens here at the time to speak. Committee reports, we currently have none. So next would be old business a, election of a chair.

I'm gonna make a motion that we suspend our rules and so we can accommodate our voting process.

Is there a second to the I'll motion second. To the So Sharon and then Sarah. Okay. I'm gonna do a roll vote. Anamowski, who's not here. Bessler? Aye. Gannon is not here. Heinemann is not here. Johnson?

Aye.

Lowry? Aye. Merwin? Aye. Spiegel?

Aye.

Stoeble? Aye. Okay. So there's a motion and a second to suspend the rules.

Okay. So currently, we are on election of chair.

We need a

motion to nominate someone as chair for 2025.

Ms. Candace, are you still planning on

serving Oh, I love being chair.

Are you do you want to be serving a full whatever term? Sure. Okay.

Whatever you will give me, I will accept.

Okay. So I I didn't know if you wanted to do the whole two year term or just, like, a one year term or

a It's one year.

It's one year.

Okay. What am I thinking?

Two years. Candice is has completed a two year term. A two year Oh, two. Two Okay. Yes. So but the appointments are just for a year if you were to recommend.

Okay. So, Candace would accept a one year term as president? I would. Chairperson. Sorry, chairperson.

Does that need a second?

Being closed. You just made the motion, Sharon?

I will make a formal motion Okay. To nominate Candace for a one year term as chairperson of the preservation commission.

I'll second that. Sarah will second that. Okay. Is there any other nominations for the position of chair of the Historic Preservation Commission?

Currently, no.

Okay. Seeing none, we have a nomination and a second for that nomination for Candace Johnson to serve a one year term as chair of the commission. So I will then now do a roll vote. We have Bessler. Aye. Johnson. Aye. Lowry. Aye. Merwin. Aye. Spiegel. Aye. Stowell. Aye.

Okay. K. Next would be the election of the vice chair. Is there a nomination for a vice chair?

I would like to nominate Brian.

I'll second that. Okay.

So we have a motion, a second for Brian Bessler to serve as vice chair for a one year term. Is there any other nominations? No. Okay. With with a no and a silence, I will suggest that we close that, and then we move to a a vote again for Brian Vesseler to serve as vice chair for a one year term. So the first person on the list is Vesseler.

And it's okay for me to vote?

Yes.

Okay. Aye.

Then we have Johnson. Aye. Lowry. Aye. Merwin. Aye. Spiegel. Aye. Stovall. Aye. Alright. Great. We have our chair and vice chair.

Congrats. Congrats, guys.

Thank you.

Thank you, Kaylee, for serving as vice for the

last Thank you. Okay. K. Next would be under new business a, public hearing, LHD 1Dash2025.

K. I'm gonna I'm gonna read my staff report. I've been warm all day. So the the petition and the request is to rescind local historic district designation from the Whitney Terrace subdivision, which is 412414416418420, and 422 Whitney Avenue.

Jane, I apologize. Should I I need to do a motion for opening the public hearing.

Yeah. You do.

I apologize. It wasn't on

I will make a motion to open the public hearing I'm for

It's on

my sheet too.

It's not on it's not on this one. So I forgot to look at the other one.

To rescind the local historic district designation from Whitney Terrace.

I'll second.

Okay. And then Kaylee is the second. All those in favor of opening the public hearing? Aye. Okay. Any opposed? Okay. Alright. So the public hearing is now opened. So this is petition LHD one twenty twenty five, which is to rescind the local historic district designation from the Whitney Terrace subdivision, which is 412414, 416, 418420, and 422 Whitney Avenue and its associated common area.

For overview, residents of the Whitney Terrace subdivision submitted an application to rescind designation of their six lot subdivision (again, 412414416418420, and 422 Whitney Terrace) as a local historic district. The preliminary review of this application was held at the January of the Historic Preservation Commission. For background and context, the Whitney Terrace Local Historic District was designated a local historic district by the city council 07/18/2006. Whitney Terrace Local Historic District consists of six unique Tudor residences surrounding a landscaped common area that were built between 1923 and 1929. The Enclave is the only one of its kind or known known of its kind in Joliet.

And although modern subdivisions have common areas jointly owned jointly by all homeowners, they are invariably built well outside the developed core of a city, and their houses are usually limited to two or three designs. This local historic district is also within the boundaries of the Upper Bluff National Register Historic District. Whitney Terrace was designed by local architect, Livan Saran. Livan Saran, born in Chicago to Armenian Turkish parents, likely gained interest in architecture from his father, who was a draftsman and mechanical engineer for the US Steel Company. Raised in Joliet, Saron attended MIT and opened his own architecture practice in Joliet.

He also worked as a real a real estate broker. The six houses on Whitney Terrace are some of his earliest designs. He also acted as the associate architect to Skidmore Owings and Merrill for the 1957 design of Gompers Junior High School in Joliet. Saron died in 1975. Under discussion.

All six property owners within the six lot Whitney Terrace Local Historic District desire to rescind local historic district designation status for their properties. Owner consent forms from all six property owners are attached. Their application for rescinding designation status states that they feel that local historic district designation costs too much to uphold and is too restrictive. Staff has had individual discussions with four of the six households regarding their concerns over the past five years. Staff offered to meet with the six Whitney Terrace households to listen to and discuss any concerns regarding designation in a group format.

The households decided to not have a group meeting with staff regarding the matter. For a review of historic designation standards, so section eight six eleven k of the historic preservation ordinance states that a designation may be amended or rescinded by the same procedure and according to the same standards and considerations set forth for designation. The commission in recommending de designation and city council in approving de designations shall consider the designation standards outlined in section eight six zero seven of the historic preservation ordinance. The historic preservation ordinance does not specify the number of standards that are proposed designation needs to meet beyond the implication that at least one shall be met. Staff has determined that this proposed d designation meets at least one of the standards to be considered for d designation, notably section or excuse me, standard eight six zero six f, which is owner preferences.

All six property owners in the district prefer to no longer be in the Whitney Terrace local historic district. All six property owners support rescinding their local historic district status. So the next is I'm gonna review all the standards listed in section eight six zero six as well as the

Jane, could you put that up on the screen, what you're gonna be reviewing, if don't mind?

Yeah. And then I'm gonna go through the district standards, and, these are the standards and staff's comments with that. Is that legible to you, or should

I pull

it up? That works for me.

Yeah. Okay. I'll do it with them. Okay. Okay.

So the first standard or our landmarks is significant value as part of the historical, cultural, and aesthetic, artistic, social, ethnic, and other heritage of the nation's state or community. Whitney Terrace local Historic District consists of six unique Tudor residences surrounding a landscaped common area that were built between 1923 and 1925. The enclave is the only one of its kind known in Joliet. Although modern subdivisions have common areas jointly owned jointly by homeowners, they are invariably built well outside the developed core of a city, and their houses are usually limited to two or three designs. Section or standard b, association with an important person or event in national, state, or local history.

Whitney Terrace was designed by local architect, Levan Seran. And Levan Seran, born in in Chicago to Armenian Turkish parents, likely gained interest in architecture from his father, a draftsman mechanical engineer for the US steel company. Raised in Joliet, Seran attended MIT and opened his own architecture practice in Joliet. He also worked as a real estate broker. The six houses on Whitney Terrace are some of his earliest designs. He also acted as the associate architect to Skidmore Owens Merrill for the 1957 design of Confer's Junior High School in Joliet. Serrad died in 1975. Next standard. Could scroll up? What?

Could you scroll up? Sorry. I thought you're gonna say rest in peace, Gompers. Representative of the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type inherently valuable for the study of period, style, craftsmanship, method, or construction or use of indigenous materials. Whitney Terrace local historic district features distinguishing characteristics of the Tudor revival style as applied to the early twentieth or supplied to early twentieth century upper middle class housing.

Standard d is it is it the notable work of a master builder, designer, architect, or artist whose individual genius has influenced Danara. At this time, none of these houses have identified as notable work of a master builder whose individual genius has influenced Danara. Standard e, identifiable as an established and familiar visual feature in the community owing to its unique location or physical characteristics. The six house subdivision surrounding a landscaped common area is the only one of its kind known in Joliet and is uniquely located along Whitney Avenue within the Cathedral area and adjacent to the University of Saint Francis campus. Under owner preferences, all six property owners in the district prefer to no longer be in the Whitney Terrace local historic district, and all six property owners support rescinding their local historic district status.

G, economic and functional potentials. Currently, these homes do not have economic and functional potential other than as single family homes. And the next three standards have to respond to historic district criteria. Homogeneity of architectural design or dates of construction throughout the area. The district is a cohesive collection of early twentieth century Tudor revival style houses.

C. Identifiable by clear and distinctive boundaries. The boundaries of the district are clear and distinctive, being comprised of the six unique Tudor revival style residences that were built surrounding a landscaped common area between 1923 and 1929 off of Whitney Avenue. Then d, repetition of distinguishing architectural land use or landscape characteristics throughout the area. These six properties have consistency in their land use characteristics in that they are all single family homes with similar front, side, and rear yard setbacks as well as building massing.

This district is illustrative of early twentieth century upper middle class Tudor revival style of housing. Her conclusion, the Historic Preservation Commission shall make a recommendation petition to rescind local historic district designation from the Whitney Terrace subdivision. Such recommendations shall be accompanied by a statement of findings providing the reasons for recommendation of approval or denial. Said statement of findings shall be included in the motion considered by the commission for recommendation of approval or denial. And that concludes the staff report.

Okay. Next is comments from the applicant. Ken, as the person attending as the applicant, did you want to say

I'll answer any questions anyone might have. Should I get there?

He doesn't need to. Okay. I don't I don't think you have to.

Okay. Can you just do it back here?

It's up to you if you feel like you want. No.

No. I'll do it here.

Yeah. There's no one here. So

Yeah. And I'll answer any questions anyone has as as well as I can.

Jane, can you the somewhere in the report, I wanna say it's further on down. It's the there was some other, like, standards that are just for the houses. It's it's like if if people wanted to change something, there's, like, a two thirds two thirds of the homeowners would have to agree to it, and I can't

I don't remember where it's at. I'm sorry. You

It it's it's in the staff report, I think. At least that's the one I was reading. And it's about if the homeowners at Whitney Terrace want to make some kind of change, such as something to the common areas, there would have to be a twothree thing. If you do, like, a search for twothree, like, as I

don't think it's in the staff report. You're talking about the packet?

It was I can't remember where it was. Yeah.

I can answer that.

Oh, okay. Okay. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. No. There were I think there were four of them. And one of them had to do with common areas like the

The Whitney Terrace has design guidelines that were approved back

Way back when.

Yeah. Way back when. And was some language about

And it does require two thirds.

Mhmm. So is that what you're

referring to? That's what

I'm trying

to say.

I'm sorry. Is that is that in the staff report or no?

Yeah. It's in the packet. I can find it. Okay.

Like, that's towards the bottom.

That's what I call. Yeah. Oh, I think you just passed it. There it is. There it is. Thank you. The reason I bring this up is our sometimes when we have talked to people about being more like a district, that some of these design guidelines are somewhat analogous to HOA standards, know, in modern subdivisions. And if this property is de designated, these properties are de designated, these standards go away, right? The design guidelines. They're poof, gone, right?

No. Yeah.

No, they won't

be. How could they not be?

Because all the neighbors agree on this.

That doesn't It

has nothing to do with

But wait a minute. If you designate it, do guidelines go away? Yes. From a district.

A 100%. Yes.

Yeah. Okay.

Whether you want verbal agreement or not, verbal agreement means nothing. You're It

does among the owners, it does.

For the matter that's at hand, I mean I'm I'm talking more from a legal point of view. To no longer be a district. The the application of these design standards through the procedure that we have here at the City Of Joliet through the Preservation Commission don't apply. But certainly, the homeowners can continue to aspire to adhere to these or the other design guidelines that we have in our residential design guidelines manual. Manual.

So when a building when a

house

sells, these will not be there, and no agreement will need to be made.

Going going forward, it was desegregated? Correct. Okay. Thank you. Yeah.

That's Right? A new owner chimes in buys

the house designated and a new owner buys it

There is nothing that they have to agree to that is currently in this previous statement.

Yeah. They don't have to agree. Yes.

And and what what what part of the common area you know, like like, I'm like, no. I want my little pie shaped thing of of the the common area. Is that still a common area?

The the common area is regulated by the has nothing to do with this.

Okay. That's that's by each individual deed of the property.

Okay. It on the deed. Okay.

It is on the deed. Okay. You cannot just carve out a pie that you say, oh, that's mine. No. You can't do that.

Okay. Big concern was, like, the when you scroll up and it's, like, starting with number 11 or whatever. Again, as Candice said, to me that's a good example. It's like, if this district is de designated, these design guidelines go away. And so somebody who buys in are like, well, you know.

To me, the difference is, is it an informal agreement with a bunch of homeowners? Or is it something that's quote unquote somewhat binding, and I don't know what it would be from a legal term? That's the contrast I'm trying to make. And and in my opinion, like, if I were interested in that or if I lived in the neighborhood, I would think that would be a selling point to keep. That would be a positive to keep a a a historic district. Because once the design guidelines go away, it's like, well, whatever. You know?

Can I ask an offshoot question of that? So with that being said, Ken stated it was in the deeds, what happens with the common areas. Yes. But what is the wording? Like, what are

the in front of me. All I can tell you is it is in the deed, and you can't independently do anything you want to with that common area.

Well, does the deed just say this is a common area and and what?

I don't have it in front

of me. I

can't answer that.

To me, that not only for this property, but I don't know if it would if this would carry over to, you know, like, other historic districts or or whatever. I'm I'm to me, I'm I'm trying to to figure out, like, again, like Candice says, going forward, what difference would this make? And again, I just feel that it's a very positive when you have that kind of layout of property. And, you know, again, people can say that informally agree. I just remember when we had the designation of of the other historic district, somebody says, well, no one's gonna buy in this area if they don't wanna, you know if if, you know, the only the owners that you know, only people would be would be historic minded people who would be buying.

And I'm like, you can't. Personally, I don't think you can make that kind of statement. From a real estate point of view Mhmm. No one's no one gets that little check mark saying, how historically minded are you? Okay. We'll vote you in. Right? I mean, it doesn't work that way.

No. I mean, obviously, people have preferences. But

Right. Right. But it's preferences. And, you know, to me, when you start putting guidelines down, it's just like, no, this is how it works. You know, it's not just like, whatever. You know? You know? Oh, we've, you know. So that's, to me, that's kind of the and that's why I was trying to compare it to an HOA. If you are in some kind of townhome group kind of what do you call them? PUDs or whatever? I can't remember. PDUs, whatever. It's like, no, no. When you bought in, here's what you have to abide by. You know? And anything from, like, what color are your drapes to how many cars can be parked in the driveway, whatever. And that's why I'm just kind of curious how that whole situation would go forward.

Kendrick, are there within is there are there formal bylaws for that? We tried to put them through AJ Wilhelmi, the senator at the time that lives on the corner. He put one together. We couldn't get everyone to agree to it because the person that bought his house hates homeowners associations. So so there there are a

lot And I get that. You know, some people are like, no. I don't want that.

But Well, that's a real but that's what we're up against. People people also hate historic districts, and there are a lot of people that will not buy these houses because of that. I I And I'm thinking as homeowner, am I gonna sell? I don't want I want I wanna be able to sell my house. I don't want to have that be a barrier. And right now, it's a barrier.

Can I just clarify then? There are there are not anything nothing formal

So there are

the houses

outside of like HOA type.

Yeah. Formal. Just what you cosmetic bylaws No. In writing. Okay.

And and to me, the the flip side of that is, you know, like, when we you know, just in in the early years when we were doing the preservation commission, people are like, I don't want people telling me what to do at your house. And to me, the flip side is that, well, who's gonna you know, you you can't tell your neighbor you don't like what he's doing to his house. You know, when when people get into the real property rights kind of thing, that's the part. And, you know, hopefully, there's there's a happy medium there. But, you know, it's kinda like when everything's taken away, it's like you don't know.

Okay. Does anybody are there any other comment? Anything else from the applicant at this point, Ken?

I don't think so. Randall, I thought, made a pretty good case why we want out. And I would totally agree with that. And what you don't know, I do have another comment. What none of you do know is there's a seventy plus year history that everyone has to agree on something or nothing gets done with the common property and other things.

But that's not in writing anywhere. Correct? There's nothing up that's holding Yeah.

That's informal, but there's a seven year history, which is a precedent, which could be which you could force legally. That's a fact. I I I would be I'd be interested

in seeing how that would work.

Well, I'm not gonna pay for an

attorney to have Oh, no. I know.

I know. Okay.

But I have had discussions along those lines.

Okay. Next would be comments from the property owner, which technically, Ken, you are one of them. So this is your opportunity again for any other comments.

Well, no. I I mean, it's it's open since. So

Okay. Next would be public comments, Ken. I know. I apologize. You're wearing, like, three hats today. Yeah.

I know. No. There's nothing.

Okay. I'm I'm gonna skip response by applicant if that's acceptable because he already said three times that there's nothing else. So we're gonna move to questions and comments from the commission at this point. Do the commission members have any other questions or comments?

Just a very brief comment to me. As of the staff report, that's a property, very unique homes. I don't know if any of the if if people don't wanna be in a district, would they ever wanna be, like, separate local Landmarks. Landmarks.

That's a possibility.

Okay. Are there any other commission members who have questions regarding this? No. Okay. So next would be a motion to close the public hearing or to continue it to a farther for further date. I'll make a motion

to close the public hearing.

I'll second that.

All right. We have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Okay.

All right. Next would be if there was any further discussion by commission members regarding this. Seeing none, there would need to be a motion and findings and vote. So the motion would be to recommend approval or denial for the de designation of the historic district. So you're either approving the de designation or you're denying the de designation based on the standards outlined in the staff report. So that whole statement would need to be made if there was a motion.

I'm going to make a motion to deny the de designation of Whitney Terrace based on the standards in section 8,606 of the historic preservation commission or the historic preservation ordinance.

K. I would need a second.

I'll I'll I'll

Okay. We have motion and a second to deny the request to de designate.

So if you vote yes, you are agreeing with

Denying not

de designating. Correct. Denying the de designation.

So, yes, you go, no, you you are not in agreement with the request. Okay. So Adamowski is absent. Next on the list, Alpha of Orders, Bessler. Nay. K. We have Gannon Zapsson, Heinemann Zapsson, Johnson. Aye. Lowry? Aye. Merwin? Aye. Spiegel? I'm gonna say nay. Stoeble?

Aye.

Okay. So with a four two vote, the

Am I being really picky? Is it okay for Ken to vote?

Mean,

Yes. Is that Oh, it is? Yes. I'm just curious, like, when We would would it be be a kind of before the meeting. Oh, okay. Okay. I'm always curious, like, when is it a conflict of interest?

It's Okay. Yep. So the vote is four two. And so that's a motion to recommend denial. So it'll go to the city council as a as a recommendation for denial with a four two vote.

This was currently scheduled to go to the second council meeting in March. I don't have that date off the top of my head. Seventeenth and eighteenth meeting track. So if you're interested in in that, you know, that's where you would look for that and maybe may come on another agenda. I don't know. So K. K. K.

Next on the agenda is b, under new business, annual awards announcement.

Yeah. I just put that on here just so I didn't forget that March 1 is when we announce or, usually, we post a call for nominations. And my I believe the nominations will close, I think it's that second Friday of the month in April, which gives staff a week to vet any nominations that are submitted and then prepare a staff report for your April meeting. And the goal of that then is to get them appropriately to the city council for May, which is National Historic Preservation Month. So expect to see some publicity go out about that, hopefully, the March announcing the call for nominations.

Any questions about that this year?

Do you think we can do a reward party like we were planning for the last two years?

An award party?

Yeah. We're gonna do, like, a little social thing, like we talked about doing it at the museum Okay. Previously, but as, like, a congratulations Uh-huh.

Present the railroad museum.

Because it would be where we would present the plaques and or yard signs. You know

what I mean? Mhmm. Okay.

Well, we do it normally at the council meeting, so I don't never mind. I don't know. We talked about it previously. Only reason I'm bringing it up.

Yeah. I'm trying to remember the details of that. I mean, I've we I I would still recommend doing a council proclamation because that's part of National Historic Preservation Month. You know, we could do something in addition to that. We don't have to. Well, we can't. I I just don't remember all the details. Maybe we can talk about it later. Okay. K.

K. Next is staff reports.

I have a couple just a couple things. So the context study is moving along. February, we the group hit it hard, the steering committee that is, to really promote getting community participation in the study. There was a event that occurred over the weekend. I was not in town for that, unfortunately, but I wonder if Kaylee could give an update about how many people came and what were some was it I mean, I've heard it was a success, I guess, because I did ask around. Any anything that you'd like to share about the event?

Yeah. I think it was successful. We probably had, like, 40 to 50 people there.

We really good.

Scanned over a 100, like, documents, newspaper clippings, letters, photographs. A lot of it was really connected to people's specific families, but it was all stuff that we don't currently have at the museum. So it was really cool to hear stories. Everyone seemed very excited that the museum was doing this, and they're hoping to see more events like this from us in the future and talking about different communities. So it was really good.

Nice. Nice. Yep. And then there's right now, there I don't have any additional outreach events that are happening to make the commission aware of. The the steering committee and the consultants are still kind of firming that up. They're under contract to do kinda two major outreach events. So I think those will be happening. Yes.

And people can can still submit things. Right? Yes.

Yes. Okay. Can always submit things. I think the point of this event is that we've never reached out to specific communities Mhmm. And admitted kind of like, we have gaps in our in our archive. Will you help us fill them? So we've never outright asked for people to come in, but we would always take.

Is there a way for like the museum museum to go, hey, if you miss this event, you can still, like, send us your stuff? You know what mean? So people feel, like, open to

Yeah. We could share that on social media. I know the end of the, like, Herald News article put Steven's contact information and kind of

a call

to, like, continue.

Okay. I don't get the Herald. They're too expensive.

It's for Shaw or they did put it behind a paywall, though. So Yeah.

And then I'm just gonna draw your attention. So here is the landing page for the project, which is different from the event, but we we were working hand in hand. So the the event Kaylee's describing was a museum event. It was, you know, their idea, and but their the event is helping this overall project too. So for if you do wanna contribute information, you know, maybe it's not necessarily a scanned document, you could still we still have these flyers around city hall.

I can give you packets of them, and then this is the website where we want people to go to. You can leave a voice message or text message. You can there's an email address. This is the project landing page. So we're gonna try to update this as things happen. Can I have a Yep?

Go ahead. Sorry.

For the one above for the actual context study, that information that people are scanning in or sending in, is that also gonna be shared with the museum? So that way it's kind of like

a That is part of the museum's project. Okay. So, like, the community collection scan happened at the museum. Yeah. It's it was in partnership with this overall project, but those things lie with the museum now. Steven Wright is and Quinn are on the Yeah. Steering committee for this context study. So and Steven, in his role along with now Kaylee here sitting with you, you know, we're gonna try to work together to make sure that that information is getting fed to the consultants who are writing that document. Okay. Because that wanted kind of

to make sure, like, if for future, if somebody went to the museum, they would have the museum would also have that on their end on top of the study. You know what mean? Or or whatever. I just wanted to make sure it was available through all sources, I guess. You know what mean? Even if it was being sent just to the context email, I guess. I don't know.

Yeah. I guess that's what you're saying. So I I haven't gotten anything yet. I might have had one email, but it's been just words, and I did forward that to Steven and then the consultants. So if I were to get a document, I mean, Citi is not the appropriate repository for documents like that, so we would forward that on for sure.

I just did I guess, I didn't know it was going to you. I thought it was going to the consultant. And so that was my concern is the consultant would have all this information in the email that you need

and not Well, I someone. Yep. That's a good question. So this this phone number is the consultant's phone number.

Okay.

So that's a Google phone number. This email address is can only be accessed by myself or whoever our IT department gives privileges to. So Okay. They don't have access to that. And, yeah, this link tree goes to the they set that up. But Okay.

Yeah. Have have we reached out to, like, 86 or 20486 or 204 just

Oh, for their school stuff?

Yeah. We talked the

student It's like Eliza Kelly school. That's the one I was thinking. I mean, that's one of our landmarks too. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, so I thought you

were Mhmm.

Where I thought you were going with this, which that's also a good point, is our last steering committee meeting, there was discussion about what what is going to happen with the final deliverables, the information that's generated. So there was conversation at the last meeting that in addition to there being a physical report, which there will be, you know, could this feed into curriculum at either the high school or grade school level? How would that look? So they were encouraging

Oh, I was thinking the information they have.

Like Well, that's not my thought. Okay. My thought that is the second point I was gonna say. Sorry. So there's well, people are asking about that too.

So That's

a good idea.

Even JJC So that's gonna be influx. And, also, there are local universities who might be able to really take some of this information and go further. Now to your point, we have not I have not reached out to district eighty six about their archives. I know I've reached out couple years ago. They didn't have as much of a collection as I thought they were going to or I mean, I'm looking Kaylee, if you would I

will say we are in touch with, like, Central's archive.

Yeah. They have pretty good ones.

Don't worry if they use Yeah. Duplicates, they give them to us. And if we get duplicate stuff, we give it to them. So we have a good with them. But I've never personally, like, looked at what is in their collection.

I just Yeah.

Eliza Kelly School is on their list. In fact, I'm gonna make a note. I'll send you guys the outline outline that that they've they've been been working on. It's not a secret. So in fact, they probably welcome more comments like, oh, you're we're missing this and that. So that because they have that school listed, Sharon, along with McKinley Park School, which Which one? McKinley Park School, which was closed, now it's it was demolished.

The the

what's Sheridan School? Yeah. Sheridan School.

Yeah. Okay. That one's closed too. Right? It's closed. Yeah. Okay.

Okay. Any more questions about the context study? Okay. Comp plan, we have our kickoff meeting next week here at City Hall. The advisory committee is gonna meet the first Wednesday of the month at 10AM. Yeah. The first meeting is just to go over kind of just logistics of the entire project. As I said at previous Christian meetings, that preservation and heritage will be a area of discussion at some point, but probably not for a couple months. So there's that. I have no update about the Saint Joe's Catholic church nomination.

They did meet the group there. The petitioners did meet with the mayor and city manager. I was at that meeting as well. So the city at this point, I think, still wants to talk to the bishop just to hear him out. But

They talked to the bishop.

They did?

Mhmm. Now they wanna talk to the person between the who's in the the middle between the bishop and the church because there's no pastor currently. I don't remember the title of him. I talked to Mary yesterday.

Okay. Yeah. I haven't.

So they are going to let it cool down for a couple months. Okay. Number one, we have elections in April. Mhmm. Plus, there is obviously stigma and there is a church in Chicago that is already landmarked. Or no, sorry. That is not landmarked that the diocese closed and the aldermen around it as well as the neighborhood are wanting to landmark it and the diocese doesn't want to. And so that played a a role in the bishop's, like, push to not landmark Saint Joe's. And so they're wanting to see how that levels out as well. So they're trying to give it a couple months to let everything cool Plus, they're hoping to have a passager before they readdress this, Mary stated.

So Okay. Thanks. No problem.

Yeah. And then I have not heard back about our CLG application, which was to do oral history work in conjunction with the contact study. They said that they were I emailed a month ago, and they said they were hoping to make a decision soon. But I think that's all that's all we got going on right now. Any questions?

No? Okay. Next would be commissioner comments.

Okay. This is

Oh, Sharon's got

a lot. Sharon is. Just two things. This is from Landmarks, Illinois. They when you remember, you get their little newsletter. I I don't know if it's online or not. But, anyway I

saw that.

Yeah. Yeah. It's a good article by Quinn. You know? Sad, but it it really kinda drew attention to it, so I thought that was good.

And then the other thing, this is just, you know, with all the changes and when when I when I was hearing about all the federal grants that may be stopped or not stopped or whatever, if you just go online and put historic preservation fund in to Wikipedia, and you understand where that money comes from on the federal basis. I learned this years ago at a preservation conference, but when there's offshore drilling, there's fees that have to be paid. And that money goes to the federal government, and that's how I don't know if it's all historic preservation fund, but if you read it in the article, it's fine. And it's just with some of those grants being stopped, I know I got an email from the Canal Corridor Association in LaSalle, and they lost, or some of their grant money has been stopped, or delayed, or whatever. And they were basically sending out email, like asking for funds.

So when I saw that, I'm like, oh, this is very real. So I I guess my question is, like, going forward, like, CLG funds, as far as I know, comes from the historic preservation fund that's federal dollars?

Mhmm.

Okay.

Okay. Just just bringing that up, like, oh, boy. This will be interesting.

Yeah.

Any other comments? So really quick, Mary from Saint Joe's did drop off these really cool. She she calls them walking tours, interior walking tours, but technically, they are not a walking tour. But it's a brochure that the church created, and it has a entire fun history. There's a layout, and then it talks about every stained glass window and what the stained glass window is. And some of it describes, like, what it's made of. And so I have I have three of them if anybody would like one.

Oh, this is very cool.

I know. Hendi, do you want one?

Yeah.

Jane, do want one?

Don't know if you have one. Do you want one?

I have one. So here's

scan quick.

Yeah. When people take tours, I think people really like to know, what are those windows all about?

Yeah. Yeah. And then

We took we took all the photos of all every stained glass window in Saint Rainey's.

Yeah. And there's a lot.

Yeah. And then Mary

history of it and what it was. I have all of it. So

And then Mary said that once the church simmers down, they would really be interested in partnering with any of our walking tours or any if we have any other events. They would be super excited. She said that they would be able to possibly even schedule people for Saturdays to be out the church to have it open if you guys were to do if if we were to do or the museum were to do like a Saturday walking tour or a Saturday tour of like churches in general. And then she thought it would be cool to have something of the Sylvanian aspect for, like, the museum across the street and then the church's museum and have, like, a little bit incorporating more than just the church. Plus, if Dairy Queen opens up, that would be pretty awesome as well.

So I don't know. She was really on board for it. She thought it was super cool. She would be she said the council would be definitely interested in in doing stuff as well.

So okay.

I thought that was neat.

That was the

only thing I have.

But when I think, you know, like, when people go to, like, especially European countries and they go see the churches, it's like, oh, wow. We're gonna do that in Joliet. We have our little docents. Yeah.

Well, and people really enjoyed our lime limestone tour.

You know

what I mean? So and that only included one church. Right? We only included the All Saints Greek Orthodox

Church. Right? I wasn't I I was a Oh,

I enjoyed that with shorts. That was a Mike shorts.

You know how that goes.

That was people really enjoyed that. Mhmm.

Yeah. I I believe the museum is interested in doing something like that. I mean, in addition to, like, the open Joliet thing, but I know Greg is interested in doing a limestone or a church tour via bus tour. So Mhmm. I suggested May. I haven't necessarily thrown gone all and in helped him yet with that. But

The struggle is finding a bus that is affordable enough to make the Torah affordable. Yeah. That's kind of where

we are.

Yeah. Just to be Yeah. Yeah. That's stupid. Yeah.

Buses should be cheaper. Okay. Okay. So if anybody knows of a bus company, we're putting it out there in the meeting minutes. Yep. Okay. Are there any other commissioner comments? No? Okay. Next would be public comments. Technically, there is no one here from public. So next motion to adjourn.

Can I just ask Yep? Yep. The when would when would the second meeting of March be? Is that like

She said the seventeenth or '8 and eighteenth.

Okay. Pre council and council. Right? And the seventeenth is Saint Patrick's Day. There's no

Yes. No.

Yeah. Okay.

There's there's no delay there.

One dual meeting. No.

I'm joking that the Saint Patrick's Day is not a holiday.

It's not a holiday. You never know.

Listen. Kashmir Pulaski, I keep forgetting is a holiday, and there's no school. So I've yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. That's what that March

yeah. Yeah. March 3,

there's no school

for Kashmir Pulaski.

I thought it was

a yeah.

Alright. Okay. So adjournment? Motion? Who

who moved?

I'm gonna go move to adjourn. Second

it. That's all I know.

I'll I'll I'll move to adjourn.

Okay. Sharon moved to seconded it. Who seconded it? Brian. Brian seconded

it. All

those in favor? Aye.