With the help of a group of PACA volunteers, approximately 200 gothic stone pieces were moved from the basement of Lincoln Hall on August 22nd.  The limestone was stored in Lincoln in 1985 when it was donated to the University of Illinois’ World Heritage Museum from the Art Institute of Chicago.  UIUC transferred ownership to PACA in 2004.

The limestone pieces comprise parts of three Gothic windows, two doorways, two niches, and a column from a fifteenth-century castle or chateau near Poitiers, along the Clain River in west central France.

PACA is working with the UIUC Department of Architecture to find a permanent home for the stone.  If you are interested in helping with this effort, please contact Karen Kummer, pacaexdir@comcast.net.

Two area buildings will be featured in the latest issue of Historic Illinois, a publication of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA).

An historic Mesker facade was moved from a building in Stewardson to one in Arcola after staff from the IHPA were able to connect an enterprising building owner in Arcola seeking to replace a lost Mesker facade with the owners of the soon-to-be-demolished Opera Hall in Stewardson.  The salvaged Mesker facade was installed on the recipient building in Arcola. Source: News-Gazette, 09/21/2009

Lincoln Square Mall located in Urbana’s downtown was the first indoor shopping mall outside the Chicago area.  Lincoln Square saw a steady decline in the 1970s and 1980s; however, a new owner is breathing new life into Lincoln Square by attracting mixed uses for the mall. Source:  News-Gazette, 08/30/2009)

The topic of sustainability is fast emerging as the topic of the year for preservationists.  The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) are both dedicated to help preservationists. The National Trust for Historic Preservation features current news about preservation activities at the forefront of green.  The California SHPO web site has information about current programs in that state as well as excellent links across the country.

California is pioneering an incentive for energy upgrades for existing buildings, through the passage of AB 811, which expands the assessment criteria for infrastructure improvements to include energy upgrades to private properties.  Local jurisdictions lend the money to pay for energy improvements and then bill the loan repayments monthly through the property.  When the property is sold the new owner assumes the assessment payment. In this way, the cost of the improvement is borne by the current owner who also receives the benefit of the upgrade.  The details of this legislation can be found on “Legislation, Policies, Ordinances” of the Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks.

(Article taken from the Winter, 2009 issue of THE COMMISSIONER, the newsletter of the Illinois Association of Historic Preservation Commissions)

The City of Urbana’s Historic Preservation Commission is hosting a “house unveiling” workshop. The workshop will be held on Saturday, June 13th 2009 at 303 W. High Street from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

In the tradition of a barn raising, volunteers will be removing (unveiling) the non-original siding from a circa 1902 Queen Anne house. (Rain date, June 20th)

The day-long workshop will be divided in two parts as follows:

10 a.m., Removing Non-Original Siding, will include “why” and “how to” remove non-original exterior siding

3:00 p.m., Paint It Right, an affordable house painting workshop will teach you how to get a 12 to 15-year cost effective paint job for your historic house.

Both seminars will be led by Bob Yapp, author and host of the former national PBS series, “About Your House with Bob Yapp.”

The Ten Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois for 2009 was announced on April 28th at a press conference at the State Capitol in Springfield. One of the most notable listings is the recent court challenge to Chicago’s Landmarks Ordinance, which could impact preservation ordinances across the country. Other listings are: the state’s oldest bank, an early stagecoach inn, a 1915 apothecary, a 109-year-old train station, the first commercial building in the planned community of Riverside, Illinois’ largest Chautauqua auditorium, a Bertrand Goldberg-designed hospital, an iconic structure in Aurora, a Chicago lakefront medical campus, and a distinctive grouping of barns.

The complete list can be found on the Landmarks Illinois website.

The historic Francis & Abbie Solon House was built in 1867 as a “spec” house by local Champaign developer, William Barrett. Seeley Brown was the architect and builder of this handsome Tuscan Villa Italianate residence. Wealthy farmer Abel Harwood purchased the home in 1869 for $12,000 as his retirement residence. After his widow’s death in 1902, the house was rented briefly until it was sold in 1907 to Francis and Abbie Solon, also wealthy farmers.The Solons raised their five children in the home. Their grandchildren donated the house to PACA in 2005 for its preservation.

Currently for sale ($235,000), the building needs a total renovation, including new mechanicals, bathrooms, and kitchen. A new metal roof was installed 2008. More details about the house, its history, and photographs are found under the Francis & Abbie Solon House in Buildings Saved.

PACA Executive Director Karen Lang Kummer was selected for a prestigious Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Leadership. Karen was recognized at an award ceremony at the Chicago Club on October 17th, 2008. Landmarks Illinois was overwhelmed with submissions from around the state and recognized only nine awardees.

Here is the excerpt from Landmarks Illinois

“The Preservation and Conservation Association of Champaign County (PACA) was incorporated in 1981, spearheaded by the respected urban planner, Lachlan Blair. Ms. Kummer, who had recently completed a degree in architectural history with a certificate in historic preservation from the University of Virginia, was selected to serve as the association’s first (and only) executive director. Under her leadership over the past two decades, PACA has orchestrated funding for community and University of Illinois architectural surveys. An annual awards and Heritage Grant programs have been established, along with numerous educational programs from architectural tours to hands-on restoration workshops. A 5,000-square-foot warehouse of salvaged architectural elements is staffed by PACA volunteers who have assisted countless property owners with their restoration projects.“

“As Ms. Kummer plans for her upcoming retirement, this award recognizes her tireless support of the cause and her numerous achievements in educating the public and elected officials about the importance of historic preservation.“

PACA volunteers are in the third year of a long-term project of ensuring reuse of historic street and sidewalk pavers.  Volunteer effort fuels sorting of 9-pound street pavers and 5-pound sidewalk pavers from the piles of dirt they were deposited with after excavation.  The original use for the pavers was as Urbana streets and sidewalks dating from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.  Clean pavers are stacked on pallets ready to be sold at 50 cents for a street paver and 25 cents for a sidewalk paver.  Some of the pavers have been at the Urbana Public Works work yard in Northeast Urbana for twenty years, with more being added as brick streets and sidewalks are replaced with asphalt and concrete.
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