Rip Down Old Home? Hinsdale Couple Did Opposite

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale residents Cynthia and Carl Curry bought a house on Taft Road a few years ago. It was built in 1959.

Often such homes are torn down. The Currys went another route – they renovated it.

Now, the village is considering designating it as a local landmark.

According to a village memo, the house was designed by architects George Fred Keck and William Keck. They are known for their passive solar house design and mid-century houses throughout the Midwest, the village said.

The house at 701 Taft Road is believed to be the only Keck-designed home in the village.

The house at 701 Taft Road was built in 1959. It is believed to be the only Keck-designed house in Hinsdale. (Google Maps)

The house was once occupied by Armen and Dorothy Avedisian, first-generation Armenian Americans. President Ronald Reagan appointed Armen Avedisian to head the commission in charge of restoring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

The house was purchased for $350,000 in 2020, according to real estate websites. It was listed for nearly $3 million last summer, then reduced to $2.6 million. The listing has since been removed.

At Tuesday's Village Board meeting, Cynthia Curry said she and her husband eyed the house for a long time. She said she hoped the renovation would set an example.

"It seems quite easy to rip (houses) down these days, but a little more difficult to get a designation and to redo them," she said. "I'm hoping we're moving in the right direction, and people will stand up and take notice and do the same."

Village President Tom Cauley agreed.

"It's a good project, and we appreciate you doing this," he said.

Last month, the village's Historic Preservation Commission unanimously recommended the Village Board approve landmark status for the house.