Trustees send contentious COA for 223 E. Eighth back to July after design concerns

HINSDALE, Ill. — After prolonged discussion and divided views among trustees, the Board of Trustees declined to waive the reading and sent a certificate-of-appropriateness (COA) review for a proposed new house at 223 E. Eighth St. to the July meeting for a final decision.

The application seeks to demolish an existing house in the Robins Park Historic District and build a new single-family residence. The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) had voted 3–1 to deny the COA for the new construction and separately approved the demolition COA; the denial of the new-build COA moved the matter to the full board.

Trustees and plan-commission members voiced consistent concerns about the home’s fenestration (the arrangement and size of windows), a large vertical front window and a design that commissioners said did not reflect a recognized historic architectural style appropriate for Robins Park. Trustee comments emphasized that the village’s recently adopted review steps are intended to preserve the district’s streetscape and encourage designs that reflect a known architectural style.

Patrick Fortelkin, the architect representing the applicants, said the design was a contemporary plan guided by client preferences and that the house “leans most into” Tudor motifs while also reflecting the firm’s current design vocabulary. He added that the clients considered historic alternatives but preferred a more up-to-date aesthetic.

Bill Harlow, serving as pro tem chair of the HPC, said the applicants had made some revisions after the commission’s May hearing — including dividing a large front window — and that the code does not provide a formal process for the commissioners to re-vote on those revisions prior to the board hearing. “There were some changes made and we do appreciate that the owners … made some additional modest changes,” Harlow said, but he also noted the commission could not issue a new advisory vote during that discussion-item meeting.

Trustee discussion split over timing: some trustees argued for voting immediately to avoid delay to permitting and to help the owner proceed if revisions were acceptable; others urged using the full 60-day review window established by the ordinance to allow additional neighborhood consideration. A motion to waive the reading failed by roll call, so the COA for construction will be considered at the board’s July meeting.

Ending: Trustees instructed staff and the HPC to continue review and public notice so the board can act during the scheduled July hearing window. Neighbors at the meeting also asked staff to require extra precautions during construction to protect a century-old elm tree near the project site.