Re-Building.com
Re:BUILDING
A Preservation Newsletter
Volume 24 - May, 2005
Published by Martin Hackl, River Forest, Illinois
Community Loses the Landmark
River Forest Women's Club
The villages and citizens of River Forest, Oak Park and neighboring communities have lost the public use of one of the Chicago Area's best small and acoustically perfect performance spaces.
A sad result of manipulation and deception, by the River Forest Women's Club's long-time, acting president (with the aid of a local attorney hired by her in the name of the Club), of the aging membership of the 100 year old organization -- the building has been sold for less than half its market value to a wealthy River Forest couple to be renovated by them into a single family home.
The Club's acting president has refused to allow new members into the Club for several years and allowed existing membership to dwindle to the point where the Club no longer had the resources to manage and maintain the structure. She also refused help by outside organizations and individuals in the community to resolve the situation nor to help maintain the historic building.
The reported sale the not-for-profit charity's building was for $425,000, which is much less than the building's current market value of at least $850,000. It has not been reported how the proceeds of the sale will be distributed, what fees will be paid to the attorney, or how the remaining money will be used by the dying organization.
The only positive result is that a preservation easement has supposedly been negotiated with the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, which will prevent the building from ever being torn down. The facade will be protected, however the beautiful interior performance and meeting space space will be forever lost to the public.
For previous newsletters referring to the Women's Club, please follow these links:
http://www.re-building.com/nl15/nl15rfwc.htm
http://www.re-building.com/nl16/nl16rfwc.htm
http://www.re-building.com/nl22/nl22.htm
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