Hinsdale Homeowners Want To 'Screw' Neighborhood: Official

HINSDALE, IL – Members of a Hinsdale committee had harsh words Wednesday for homeowners who want to build a postmodern house in a historic district.

One accused the owners, Jeff and Nicole Cantalupo, of wanting to "screw the rest of the neighborhood."

The Cantalupos' lawyer, who attended the Historic Preservation Commission meeting, stayed silent.

At the end of the meeting, the panel voted 4-0 to deny a "certificate of appropriateness" for the demolition and construction of the proposed home. Their votes are advisory only.

Members opposed the tearing down of the historic house at 425 E. Eighth St., which is in the Robbins Park Historic District. It was built in 1937 and features the Colonial Revival style.

They also said the proposed postmodern house with a glass bridge did not fit into the neighborhood.

"This home looks like it landed from space," member Frank Gonzalez said. "Certainly, the owners have no respect for the historical significance of the village. They just want to do things their way and screw the rest of the neighborhood."

Member Sarah Barclay said the owners showed little respect for their neighbors.

"It's frustrating," she said. "There is no nod at all to the history or location of their prior home."

Meanwhile, member Chris Elder said the proposed house was not bad looking, but it would be better in a non-historic area, such as in Tucson or somewhere else in Arizona.

"This is not a criticism of the design. It just does not fit in the neighborhood," Elder said.

Chairman John Bohnen, who criticized the planned house at a December meeting, said the village years ago made much progress in historic preservation downtown.

But he said it's been a "tougher chore" to do the same with preserving historic homes.

Only one other postmodern house has been built in the Robbins district, but it was done before the district's creation, Bohnen said.

He said he had a problem with the glass bridge.

"We felt that this went a step too far," he said. "Allowing this house to be built in the historic district could be the nose of the camel getting under the tent. It may set a precedent for people to build this type of house."

Michael Marrs, Hinsdale's village attorney, tells the Hinsdale Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday that the village must approve the demolition of a house if it meets village requirements. Next to him is Bethany Salmon, the village planner. (David Giuliani/Patch)

Bohnen also warned that allowing such houses could jeopardize the village's ability to maintain the neighborhood's status as a historic district.

"If something happened with the historic district, there could be a backlash from residents," he said.

At the beginning of the discussion, the village's attorney, Michael Marrs, said the homeowners would get a demolition permit if they meet requirements, even if the commission voted no.

"We can't really stop the demolition or make them change the design," Marrs said. "I know the chair has expressed his frustrations with the process."

He said the village was looking at changes to its code to allow the commission to review applications before homeowners make investments.

The homeowners' attorney, Scott Day, went to the podium to identify himself, but did not make any comments.

At the December meeting, Bohnen refused to allow a vote on the demolition. He criticized the architect, Michael Abraham of Clarendon Hills.

"For Mike Abraham to even think that the house is going to get built in this historic district shows his lack of understanding, so anyway, everybody got to go to school tonight," Bohnen said.

In a memo last week, though, Bethany Salmon, the village's planner, said the commission had no power to dismiss a properly filed application without a vote. She also said the proposed home met the village's "bulk zoning" regulations.

After the commission's December meeting, Abraham and homebuilder Julie Laux of J. Jordan Homes emailed the village about their frustrations with the session, with Laux calling it a "complete fiasco" and Abraham sarcastically labeling it a "Fun Meeting."

Naperville attorney Scott Day identifies himself as representing the owners of the house at 425 E. Eighth St. He had no comments on the issue at hand. (David Giuliani/Patch)