'Elitist Society': Hinsdale Clash On Historic Home

HINSDALE, IL – Residents on Wednesday spoke out against the demolition of a historic Hinsdale house, with one woman saying all the teardowns result in an "elitist society."

After the residents spoke, the chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission refused to allow a vote on the demolition. In response, the architect suggested he would need a lawyer.

A year ago, the house at 425 E. Eighth St. sold for $2.5 million. The new owners, Jeff and Nicole Cantalupo, want to tear down the 2½-story home and replace it with a new one, which is part of a longstanding trend in Hinsdale.

At the meeting, Cathy Moran, who grew up in Hinsdale, denounced the teardowns of houses in town.

"We are the poster children for what not to do in a village," Moran said. "(People) come in and build their Taj Mahals to themselves and all of a sudden three years later, they didn't realize there was a property tax."

She remembered that west Hinsdale was made up of Sears prefab homes after World War II. They were starter homes that people could afford and then later move to larger ones, she said.

"I go over there now and every (house) has been knocked down and built on," Moran said. "Our parents were able to come to Hinsdale because there was entry-level pricing and entry-level homes. That is no more. We have created an elitist society, and that's not right."

Fighting back tears, Shari Sexton McNerney, who grew up in the Eighth Street house, looked back at the architect and builder and pleaded with them to find another lot in southeast Hinsdale.

"I'm sick about this," she said.

Chairman John Bohnen, whose panel is advisory only, said he would not permit a vote because he viewed the replacement house as violating the village's zoning code. He also said the plan was rushed to the commission without any preliminary meetings.

He then warned the owners to regularly check the vacant house during the winter when problems with utilities could occur.

"I have had too many occasions in the recent past where, whether on purpose or by chance, owners and contractors have gotten over their skis and begun to demolish houses or taken heating units out of houses to allow deterioration to occur," Bohnen said. "We call that demolition by neglect in our world. That is something this board will not tolerate and this village will not tolerate."

Abraham said his firm, Clarendon Hills-based Michael Abraham Architecture, followed every village rule and that nothing was rushed. He said his firm could not even have reached the Historic Preservation Commission without the village's approval.

"I'd have to get a lawyer involved to know whether you have the right to make a subjective decision like this. This I do not know," Abraham said. "To say that this does not meet the zoning code is unfactual."

Bohnen said the village code states that no demolition can go forward without the commission's final decision.

"Whatever you have in your hand is null and void because you have not gotten past this commission, and you can engage with any attorney however you wish," Bohnen told Abraham.

The audience applauded Bohnen's statement.

Julie Laux, owner of J. Jordan Homes, said the house is being regularly visited to check for problems. Her company is the builder of the proposed house.

Laux and Abraham have regularly dealt with the Historic Preservation Commission over the years.