$1.8M Hinsdale House May Get Village Help

HINSDALE, IL – The owner of a house that sold for $1.8 million in 2021 may be in line for village assistance for preservation.

On Tuesday, the Village Board plans to vote on an agreement with Mimi Collins, the owner of 420 S. Park Ave.

The village now has a program in which it helps owners preserve historically significant homes. Officials want to prevent the teardown and replacement of such houses.

Under the program, the village may remove the village's part of the property tax bill for five years. To make that a reality, an owner must spend at least $50,000 on exterior improvements.

This year's property tax for 420 S. Park was $31,000. The village's part of the bill was $2,300, or 7 percent.

The village may also decide to pay for half of the eligible project costs, up to $10,000 per project.

Earlier this month, the village's Historic Preservation Commission recommended the Village Board approve the incentives for the improvements.

According to a village memo, Collins bought the property in November 2021 after the house was listed for sale for several years and faced demolition.

The village said Collins has completed $200,000 in renovations so far, focusing on historic preservation. The village program wasn't even set up when Collins started the work.

Built in the 1920s, the 6,800-square-foot house consists of six bedrooms and 6½ bathrooms.