Hinsdale trustees send controversial Robins Park redevelopment back to July after mixed Historic Preservation Commission vote

Hinsdale trustees on June 10 declined to waive the reading and continued consideration of a certificate of appropriateness for a proposed teardown and replacement home at 223 East Eighth Street in the Robins Park Historic District.

The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) previously approved a COA allowing demolition of the existing house by a 4–0 vote but rejected the COA for the proposed new construction by a 3–1 vote. The denial sent the design to the Village Board for review under the village’s recent ordinance governing demolition and new construction in the historic district.

Trustee Padraig Stifler and other trustees described the review process and concerns about the proposed home’s fenestration, large vertical windows and overall lack of a recognized historic architectural style. Acting as pro tem chair for the HPC, Bill Harlow told the board the owner made subsequent revisions after the May hearing — notably breaking one large right‑front window into smaller bays and modifying courtyard glazing — and that commissioners appreciated those changes but had not taken a second formal vote at the HPC meeting on the revised elevations.

Patrick Fortelk, the project architect, said the owners asked for a contemporary design that "worked within the context of the neighborhood" and said the plan leaned toward Tudor motifs rather than a strict historic replication. Fortelk said the clients were not interested in a design that appeared to be an older house.

Trustees debated whether to act immediately or allow the full 60‑day review window to expire; a motion to waive the reading failed, so the matter will return at the board’s July meeting. Trustee Stifler noted the ordinance gives the board until roughly July 18 to act before the application would be deemed approved by default. Several trustees who sit on or worked with the design‑review committee said they value preserving the district’s streetscape and prefer designs that evoke a known architectural style.

Why it matters: The case tests Hinsdale’s new COA process for the Robins Park Historic District and raises questions about how the village balances property owners’ design choices with the community’s interest in preserving historic streetscapes.

What’s next: The applicant may revise plans before the July hearing; if the board does not act by the 60‑day deadline, the COA would be deemed approved under the ordinance.