| |
This 1913 board-and-batten clubhouse was designed by the Prairie School
Architect William Drummond, who was Frank Lloyd Wright’s chief draftsman and
husband to one of the women’s club’s members. His design has been recognized
in Frederick Koeper’s 1968 publication, Illinois Architecture from
Territorial Times to Present where it was compared stylistically to Wright’s
masterpiece Unity Temple. After 90 years of continued use as a private club,
declining membership and cumulative maintenance issues forced the women to
make a tough decision. In 2005, the Club made plans to donate the building
to the River Forest Park District, who had been renting the property for
various uses. The Park District, however, was unable to commit to preserving
the building for the long term and the village did not have authority to
landmark the site. Centered on a double residential lot and vulnerable to
teardown redevelopment, the site was placed on Landmarks Illinois’ Ten Most
Endangered Historic Places list.
Thanks to the widespread media exposure, an interested buyer came forward
with an offer to restore the building and convert it to a single family
residence. The main floor auditorium was retained and the lower level was
converted into living space. Original wood windows and portions of the
siding, which were in severely poor condition, were repaired or
reconstructed to match. Interior finishes were restored and the exterior
siding was returned to its historic brown color. In addition to their
careful restoration work, the owners donated a preservation easement on the
property to protect the site in perpetuity.
|
|
