Joliet Historic Preservation Commission - Regular Meeting

There we go.

There we go.

Alright. I'd like to call to order the city of Joliet Historic Preservation Commission. Is it Regular. Just regular meeting agenda. Regular meeting for Wednesday, 04/22/2026. Current time is 06:05PM. Can we have a roll call, please?

Yeah. Bessler? Here. Heinemann?

No. No longer with us. He resigned at the

last meeting.

Yes. Yes.

I have to update the sheet. Johnson? Here. Lowry? Here. Merwin? Here. Okay. I'm not gonna pronounce this right.

Makotis? He's

right here.

Stovall? Here. Okay. And then Wright is not here. Okay. We have a quorum. Okay. Next on the agenda is the approval of meeting minutes from 02/25/2026.

Okay. Okay. Are there any alterations for the minutes for the meeting on 02/25/2026?

Sharon. Sharon? Believe it or

not. Yeah.

Alright. Okay. Approve. I need a motion

I'll make a motion.

I'll second.

What was your last name?

Johnson. Johnson.

And then Stovall seconded.

K. K. Call the roll. Okay.

K. Hold on.

Bessler. This

Aye. Oh,

sorry. Got it. Johnson. Aye. Lowry. Aye. Merwin. Aye. Anne Stolt. Aye. Okay. Alright. Still trying to get used to the names and faces.

You're doing great. We don't have our little

Our name tags are not up here.

I know.

Yeah. That would make it easier.

That would help. Yes. Alright. Okay. Next section on the agenda is citizens to be heard on agenda items.

This section is for anyone wanting to speak regarding agenda items and are allowed a maximum of four minutes. It is not a question and answer period and staff and the commission members do not generally respond to public comments. So if there's anybody here who would like to speak on an agenda item, you can step up to the podium. Old business, the survey of hitching posts and stepping stones. I think when I spoke with Jane yesterday, I don't think there was anything in the folder so far, but that's just kind of an ongoing thing that we still have.

I tried uploading two addresses

Okay.

And put my name on them but I don't know if I did it correctly to like save it so everyone else could see.

I'll check.

Wouldn't let me. Yeah. Was like you had to do something and and I'm like, maybe it doesn't like my whatever I'm gonna end up, you know.

I know we've had issues in the past with other stuff and like the links.

Originally, So had an issue with not being able to sign in and then I finally was able to sign in. But then I don't know if I I don't I've never I've never done it before. I don't know if I saved it correctly.

Okay. You

don't get like a message like uploaded fine or something. Yeah. Okay.

Okay. We'll take a look at it. Any other comments about that? Questions? Concerns? No? Okay.

I found a new one on Center Street for a house that no longer exists. So now I have to figure out what the address is. That's that's

found one on McDonough the other day while I was driving.

North or South Tennessee.

North Center. Yeah. Oh, cool. I know. Yeah.

I found one at, I don't know if people I think it's Raynor And Marion. It's the Southeast Corner. It's there's there's a big carriage stone. I I have it on my phone, but it's it says John Staley, and I think my husband told me. I just saw that. Yeah. Yeah. I think he brought Greg thought he he brought, like or he was instrumental in bringing electricity before you know, into Joliet or something like that. I can't remember. But, mean, you can't miss his name on the carriage store. Mhmm. It's huge. So I it's $7.52, and it's I don't think it's McDonough. I think it's Marion, but I could be wrong. Morgan. Yeah. It's one of the m's. No. It's McDonough. Is it McDonough? Because it hit does isn't it the yellow house? Yes. It has the two posts on the side. It it has the yellow.

Oh, that's the one I just saw the other day too. Yeah. Yeah. I was driving and trying to take a picture and

not running.

You don't it. But yeah.

So If it's McDonough? Gave words on it. Yeah. It's okay. Yeah. And and it's your people the bridge. Yeah. Yeah. That's why you stopping and taking a picture is Sorry. The traffic.

Okay. Next on the agenda is new business. This it's for the annual historic preservation awards. And I have just if you wanna there we go.

One for the 408 Whitney one?

So there are three nominees. There was a staff report in the packet as well that Jane included. The first address is 408 Whitney. That's the second address. Okay.

Here we go. Second is 226 East Clinton and the last one is 416 North Chicago Street. I can read the background if you guys would like. Shane mentioned that you guys can vote on these individually or as all three but these are the nominees and then there is a tentative date in I believe it's the second city council meeting in May for these to be, I guess, to do a proclamation at the cities at the second city council in May.

Do we have a consensus of altogether or separately providing?

I had questions on the Whitney one so Okay.

I'll try and answer them. I'm not super familiar. So here's the I guess the application here for 408 Whitney. I'm not sure if you guys can see it on your screen.

Mhmm.

Okay.

So Jane and I did speak about this one specifically. So previously, Jane brought them forward. Oh, sorry. So Jane and I did speak on this one specifically because previously Jane did bring this house forward as possibly getting getting an award for when they first bought it in 2016 and then they redid it. Because of the stairs at the time, we did not recommend it as a as a commission.

However, this nomination specifically is for the restoration of the fire damage that happened to the home which was pretty significant. So it has nothing to do with the actual front stairs and so that was something that we need to keep in mind during our decision today was that it wasn't pertaining to the front stairs specifically, but more for the actual restoration which included clapboard and and shingles and and fascia and soffits and things that match the original to the home. So if that helps clear up anything, any confusion. Stairs look great.

Yeah. I just had a a question. And, I mean, this isn't like a challenging thing, but when when people have to do these significant restorations, you know, especially after some kind of damage, you you just kinda wonder, like, how did they get it done? What do insurance companies do? It's it's kind of a learning experience for us. You know? Mhmm. I mean, if people come with homes like this and want a landmark and and you make suggestions, it's like someone who has lived through this experience. I mean, the the one thing I I noticed is and I know this is I feel like I'm being picky, but okay. That like, when you take the front stairs in that window right there

Mhmm.

Usually, there's, like, art glass. There's kinda like there would be leaded glass there. Mhmm. And I'm like, are people ever able to replace that? I I would think that on that small rectangle on the

top So if you if you find a window that was removed that has it, you can sub substitute it, but you can't if it but if yeah. Otherwise, they can't.

It it's just that it looks like they had a lot to do and it it I mean, we don't have the owners here. I I I would just be interesting interested to hear their story. You know, not that not that this is bad by any means. Mhmm. But just so we know because I think it's helpful for us. You know, when people say, no, you can do that. No, you can't. Contractors are are, you know, it's difficult on this or not difficult on that. You know?

Yeah. And maybe that's something that we can just take can we reach out and ask for like future knowledge if they can give us an idea of how the process they went through.

Background on

and everything. Just so we can help Yeah. More people in the future navigate something difficult like a fire.

On on the application, they said that the high house was almost twice demolished. And I I just had a question on that. What what did that entail? You know, totally demolished or it just had deterioration? You know, I was just curious because yeah.

Okay.

And it seems like I thought there was another house on Whitney that was proposed as a landmark, and I don't know if it ever went anywhere. I can't remember. I don't think it's this one, but I thought we we don't have any files on on this address, this house, do we? Or was it only what you were talking about, Candace?

I think it was only just what we have. The the owner house on Whitney that wants to be on landmark is the one on the corner of Glenwood And Whitney. But he doesn't have the original windows. He has vinyl windows, and Jane told him specifically that he would have to have wood windows reinstalled before we would consider landmarking it.

Okay. Maybe that was the one.

And he's very interested. His home was featured in a catalog. Literally, the the a picture of his home was featured in a catalog about homes. So he's highly interested in landmarking it. But yeah.

And and the other thing is it's like, obviously, us, but anybody else who'd be interested in, you know, I wanna restore my home because what people used to do thirty and forty years ago was different what there is now. And you again, to hear people's stories and if it's kinda like, not horribly documented, but, you know, if somebody else comes in and they're like just like you're mentioning the the other home on on Whitney, it's kinda like, oh, here here was somebody else's experience. And, you know, that way people can share information and anyway, that that's I was you know, like I said, it it's it's more just an information Mhmm. Question on

it. Knowledge.

Right. Yeah.

Yeah. The knowledge. Yeah. Okay.

Oh, sorry.

I'm sorry. Would we like to vote on these three as a as a group or individually? I don't mind doing it as a

group. Yeah. Carefully. You're Yeah. Yeah. I just I just wanted to know about Whitney. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. So we would be doing the motion to award?

Yeah. You well, you need either a motion to approve all nominations or deny all nominations. Okay.

I'm gonna throw out a motion to approve. Motion to approve all nominations as submitted. I'll I'll I'll I'll do that.

So Okay.

I don't know. I'm sorry.

I'll second it.

Your last name?

Lowry. Sorry.

Lowry. That's okay.

Sorry about that. It's okay. I, like, couldn't think of what this

is saying.

I'll do it.

Color roll? Yeah. K. Johnson?

Aye. Lowry? Aye.

Merwin? Aye. Stovall? Aye. And chairman Vesseler? Aye. Got it right this time. So we went off. K. Alright.

Okay. Father, this will be going before the council on May 19. Congratulations.

Okay. Alright. Next on the agenda are staff reports just a couple of things. Couple of ongoing projects. Comp plan is still ongoing.

We should be getting, I believe, we're working with the consultants to have a draft of the comp plan for the committee to look at sometime next month I believe is it it is May or June. So we should have a draft pretty soon for the comp plan and same for the African American study as well, still ongoing with the consultant as well. So still kind of couple things ongoing with that as well. And the oh I forgot the National Historic Preservation Month events and activities. City Hall is doing daily social media posts next month.

I'm not sure if you guys saw something that was done last year through the, I believe it was the communications department on Facebook where it was a picture of you know specific intersections in the city and it was a before picture and then they would reveal the kind of what it looks like now so we're doing something similar again. And then if you guys have any suggestions or comments, feel free to let us know as well. But that's sort of what's on the table right now for next month that is pretty popular with people. That's what the communications person said here in City Hall that a lot of people really did like that last year and they wanted to see that again and you know again see other parts of the city as well that maybe don't always get highlighted just because of everything going on. That is all that I have.

Not sure if you guys have anything for us.

Always say something. People know I'm gonna bring something up. This is related to the awards, and this is something that Candice and I and it was just Candice and I that were talking about. It was the that ComEd substation on

Mhmm.

Mhmm. And that we put the award forward. And there were some problems with some broken tiles. Just for other commissioners so you know this, my husband found this. Again, it was on social media. It's somebody's post.

But

it was a he he showed it to me, and it was at similar substation in Skokie. And I'm looking at that, and these are architected. And Herman Van Vaughnhaus? Yeah.

Herman Van Vaughnhaus.

He did a bunch of these, and it's the coolest thing. You could I I could send you, like, links, but you could read his bio on Wikipedia. And apparently, he was an architect for Khamene. Okay. And I would say those are pretty pretty early structures. Yeah. I mean

in, They're nineteen twenties to thirties.

Yeah. Okay. And they're very deco looking. And when you see them, if it Mhmm. There's one the I when I was looking online, but there's one, like I can't remember if it's somewhere, like, it's either Brownsville or Bridgeport or some somewhere around there. I could be wrong. But but it's a big place, and it's kinda just sitting there in the city of Chicago. And people are like, what are you gonna do with it? This is a big substation. Yeah. So, anyway, I reached out to ComEd, and they sent my request. Because I was wondering, you know, I said and I didn't say anything about we wanna give it an award. Mhmm. But, you know, I kinda wanna get some background on it because to me, that kinda helps sell the thing. Like, this is pretty cool. Right. You know? And they sent it to the real estate department. I haven't heard anything. But if I do hear something I just think it's it's neat.

And, you know, Candace had see I'm sorry. I'm yeah. Yeah. But Candace had noticed how they redid the the tile and to bring it forth to, like, ComEd's real estate, just like, wait a minute. You you know, hopefully, someone's gonna you know, this is ugly and stupid. It's like, no. You have some real gems. And especially if they're that age, they're probably in the middle of an older city or whatever. Mhmm. So I just thought it was it's, you know, something to keep looking keep up after Mhmm. You know, may maybe for next year or something. It would to me, it would be really helpful if we had a story, but I didn't get anything from them yet. Okay.

Plus, Herman Van Host also took care of Frank Lloyd Wright's architect firm when he went overseas Okay. Which is also where he got the Prairie influences influential stuff from, which is kind of also cool because it's just another tie in to

Yeah. Yeah. This this guy you know, sometimes there's these people who do, like, tons of work. There was somebody like the Chicago Board of Education there, Dwight Perkins, can't remember his name. But these people did a whole gobber and people like, oh, it's not a Frank Lloyd Wright or something. It's just like, well, we can't all be Frank Lloyd Wright. But there are people who are, like, worked with them and did this stuff and and have a huge they have a lot of work that they've done. It's just it's kinda neat. You know? So, anyway, it's just if, you know, we can maybe if if I hear anything, but, you know again, it's okay.

One last thing. Like, the phone company buildings, 62 North Ottawa and 65 West Webster because I remember those buildings. If I'm not mistaken, I wanna say the 262, it's the one that wasn't like rehab, but it's painted. It's gray, and it's the one on Ottawa. Skidmore Owings Merrill did a lot of the buildings, and that's like a well known architectural firm in Chicago. Again, it's it's like a lot of the stuff we have just hanging around. People are like, oh, who cares? And it's just like, no. This is kind of a big deal.

So anyway.

I was hoping we did talk to Jane about possibly reaching out to ComEd and seeing if we can get them to fix that one small little section.

Tile. Yeah.

So that way we can next year nominate them. Okay.

And especially if they have have, like, replacement parts somewhere else.

You know? Go steal it from someone else. K?

And Borrow

it. Put it okay. Borrow. And then put it in there. K. I did it technically, this is not the city Of Joliet, but the City Of Joliet encompasses this. I found out really cool history over the weekend that everyone knows the seller. Well, most people know of the seller. Right? The seller no. K. It used to be a strip club

Okay.

Up until, like, 2024 over on Patterson Road.

K.

And it's it's almost completely encircled by city property. It used to be a blues house and Buddy Guy managed it and had numerous blues legends play there.

I saw that video too.

Did you actually that came up okay. Old lady here knows. So that came up in in a preservation commission meeting. One of our former commissioners, John Hickman, who lived and grew up, I think, in the I forget the historic name. It's the one that's Kitty Corner from Washington Junior High at 4th and Yeah.

The yellow one?

Yes.

Yeah.

He grew up there. And he knew a lot of the stories about, you know, about and I remember he brought that up that there were things on Patterson Road that were like,

know, notable. I thought it was cool. I literally told told Jane, I was like, we should make this come into the city so then I can landmark it. Because we are we are doing this whole African American context study. We're doing this whole oral history thing. We're doing all of this. And we have a gem sitting there that's currently empty that is going before the Will County Board for something. And God forbid, they demolish it. Right. And then we're losing not just a piece of African American history, but we're losing in a predominately a predominant area. We've been losing a lot of history, but we're also losing it as a blues and music history, which we just got the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You know I mean? It's kind of like

It could be a thematic because there's one on the 300 block of it's I think it's still a landmark. It's a 300 block of South Ottawa. It is a landmark. And it was landmarked more of its cultural

Yeah. Mhmm. Yeah. Important. Contributions. Mhmm.

And I think it has something to do with the owner was pretty well known either blues or jazz kind of musician. So again, you put those together. And to me, especially when you start doing the groups, people are like, oh, really? Yeah. This is cool.

Yeah. Well, I found out there was also a a hall on 603 Gardner Street that also played jazz and blues music. I had no idea. So now I'm going down a rabbit hole. So we should try to get that in the city limit so I can landmark Okay.

Okay. Or, you know and and something okay. That might be a good social media thing. It's just like, did you know?

Yeah. Blah blah blah. That would be kind of Okay.

Yeah. Do something. That was look at that video.

Ernest Crim.

Ernest Crim. Yeah.

Yes. I know. Now I've been trying to go down the rabbit hole and find more research because I'm like, I would have never known. Maybe that's why Buddy Guy likes to come here and play so many times because he remembers it from like before he became a huge

musician. Right.

Yeah. So that's all I

had. Okay. Alright. Anybody else? No. Next section is public comment. I don't think anybody will be commenting tonight. Next agenda item is adjournment. So if you guys want to adjourn, it's totally up to you.

Motion to adjourn. I'll second.

Okay. Johnson? Aye. Lowry? Aye. Merwin? Aye. Stoebel?

Aye. And

chairman Vesseler? Aye.

K.