Oak Park, Illinois Village Departments -- Historic Preservation

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Downtown Historic Preservation study to resume in 2008

A preservation study for Downtown Oak Park roughly between Forest Avenue, Harlem Avenue, Ontario Street and North Boulevard began in late 2006. The preservation study consisted of community meetings, gathering and disseminating information, and discussions with the Downtown Oak Park business association regarding potential regulations, programs and incentives. The Historic Preservation Commission will seek direction from the Village Board on how to proceed with preparing a nomination to designate historic properties in the downtown area in early 2008.

Historic preservation was a vital component of both the most recent Downtown Master Plan and the subsequent Superblock Steering Committee recommendations. The Historic Preservation Commission completed, and the Village Board approved, an Architectural Survey of Downtown and the Avenue on November 21, 2005. As part of the implementation of the Master Plan and Steering Committee recommendations, the Commission requested as part of its 2006 work plan approval to investigate a potential Downtown Historic District. The Board approved the work plan on November 14, 2005, and on May 8, 2006 directed the Historic Preservation Commission to investigate various options for historic designation of the downtown. Subsequent work plans for 2007 and 2008 included the on-going project.

The following three options are under consideration for downtown by the Historic Preservation Commission:

National Register Historic District: A National Register historic district would make contributing resources within the district - currently those ranked as significant and structure of merit in the Downtown Survey - eligible for certain financial incentives. However, the National Register provides no local review authority and has no protections against demolition or inappropriate alterations. This option allows the greatest flexibility for development in the downtown, but no protection for historic properties.
Local Historic District: A local historic district would give the Historic Preservation Commission mandatory review over full or partial demolition and advisory review over exterior alterations of contributing structures within the district. The contributing resources also would be eligible for certain financial incentives. This option provides some protection for all historic properties yet allows many common exterior alterations.
Landmark designation of significant properties: Landmark designation would give the Historic Preservation Commission mandatory review over demolition and exterior alterations of each designated building by requiring a Certificate of Appropriateness. The Commission also would be allowed to comment on planned developments, special uses and variances within 250 feet of a landmark. As opposed to a district, this option would not protect Structures of Merit, but would allow more flexibility for new construction downtown while preserving individually important buildings.

For more information on the Downtown Historic Preservation study or other Village planning activities, call 358.5417 or e-mail the Historic Preservation Division .