Lake Bluff commission nominates 348 Foss Court for landmark consideration

The Lake Bluff Historic Preservation Commission voted Oct. 8, 2025, to nominate 348 Foss Court for landmark designation and will forward the nomination to the village trustees for final action.

The nomination centers on a house built in 1895 and its associated landscape. Rush Olson, one of the applicants and the buyer of the property, described the house as “it's a 130 years old. It was built in 1895,” and said he plans to restore character-defining features while adapting the interior for a growing family.

Commissioners said the property shows both architectural and social significance: the house’s classical details (including Chippendale railings and prominent gables), an intact hand-painted mural in the living room, and a surviving formal sunken garden. The applicants presented a history showing long tenures by prior owners, a connection in local accounts to Marshall Field–era seasonal housing, and a series of historic photographs and letters the applicants obtained from the Lake Bluff History Museum. Commissioners reviewed the commission’s 26-factor landmark criteria at length and reached a unanimous nomination.

Discussion and questions at the meeting focused on the house’s provenance, the mural’s age and condition, the layout and number of bedrooms, the sunken garden’s location and current condition, and the applicants’ renovation plans. Olson said the house currently is effectively a three-bedroom residence (officially four, with one first-floor room used as a family room) and that the proposed work would produce five bedrooms by building above the existing garage and subdividing the current master suite. He also said the applicants will retain and restore the living-room mural and the sunken garden. The applicants identified Matt Kerouac as the project architect and said they intend to complete work so a child will be able to start middle school from the house in the near term.

Commissioners noted social-history features cited in the application: a period when the property was used as seasonal housing associated in local accounts with Marshall Field–era employees, references to the Mariposa Ranch correspondence in the application packet, and later uses during wartime. Commissioners asked the applicants to provide historic photographs and documents when available; the applicants said some images are copies of older materials and that originals are limited.

The commission moved and seconded a nomination to designate the property (residence and the sunken garden) as a landmark. In a roll call vote the commission approved the nomination 6-0 with one member absent. Member Jurc, Member Maguire, Member Nichol, Member O'Connor, Member Tanner and Chair Bergman voted yes; Member Minor was absent. The commission recorded the nomination and will send the draft ordinance and the nomination packet to the village trustees for their consideration.

Staff and commissioners outlined next steps for the applicants: contact the Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer in Springfield before undertaking demolition or major work to pursue state tax-freeze benefits; document the property with current photographs and recorded history; and consult with the village building codes supervisor on construction sequencing. Staff also said the village can provide a property-tax discount on the Lake Bluff portion of property taxes once designated and can write supportive letters to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) on historic-preservation grounds if zoning questions arise.

The commission’s action is a recommendation to the village trustees; final landmark designation and any tax or regulatory effects depend on trustee action and any subsequent state review.