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*Deny the Appeal and Concur with the Historic Preservation Commission and Adopt an Ordinance Denying a Certificate of Appropriateness to Build a Ten-Story Addition Behind an Existing Oak Park Landmark Building, known as the Boulevard Arcade Building, located at 1035 South Boulevard
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Introduction
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The Historic Preservation Commission denied a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to Applicant, John Schiess, for 1035 South Boulevard, as the Commission found the proposed ten-story rear addition to be not in compliance with the Architectural Review Guidelines. The Historic Preservation Ordinance provides the Applicant the option to appeal to the Village Board.
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Recommended Action
Support the Historic Preservation Commission's decision.
Prior Board Action
There is no prior Board action associated with this item.
Background
1035 South Boulevard, known as The Boulevard Arcade Building, is a 2-story brick commercial building in the 20th-century commercial style. The building was designed by the prominent Oak Park architect Eben E. Roberts in 1906 as a one-story, one-tenant retail structure, but with the capacity to add a second story if needed. In 1922, a local entrepreneur hired Chicago architect Arthur Jacobs to remodel the structure into a multi-tenant shopping destination to serve the expanding shopping district, which would soon be the leading shopping district of west Cook County.
The Village Board designated the Boulevard Arcade Building as an Oak Park Historic Landmark on June 4, 2007. In 2008, the building was restored to approximate the 1922 exterior appearance, including restoration of the original 1906 cast iron posts and replication of its distinctive transom glass. Its defining interior features remain the same, including a central skylight and light court, terrazzo floors, and an ornate central staircase.
The Boulevard Arcade building is significant as the only known local example of an indoor sh...
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