Tonight's Historic Preservation Commission meeting shed some new light on the Grace Hall adventure. Four members were present: Chairman Allen Stebbins and members Don Frick, Lucia Matlock and Erika Wilson.
The first 85 minutes of the meeting were devoted to a project planned for the southwest corner of Calhoun and Tryon. Plans are for a senior center, providing assisted living arrangement in about 56 units. More on that in a separate article to follow.
Where is the groundswell of public opinion for Grace Hall? Does a little cold weather keep everybody home? Only Landmark status petitioners Dan and Caryl Lemanski attended.
Allen Stebbins and the City's Nancy Baker provided update information on the involvement of historic preservation interests. In summary (it's getting late), there is a potential local developer who is exploring acquisition of the building and moving it.
The HPC will delay its request to the City Council for landmark status. The historic preservation agencies seem to be encouraging this.
I myself see danger in the delay.
I addressed the HPC and requested them to consider that the November HPC "Public Hearing" may not have been a Public Hearing, but instead a public meeting.
Chairman Stebbins recalled, as did other HPC members, that, when the November meeting was opened, former Chairman Tim Art said that all testimony would be sworn testimony.
But saying so doesn't make it so. The HPC had no legal representation that night. No one from the City Attorney's office attended, and I guess no one (except me (or is it, except I)) is interested in finding out why not. Without the City Attorney, or his representative, there to swear in those who are to speak, how can statements become sworn testimony.
They can't.
I also suggested that it was not a valid Public Hearing because there was no audio recording and there was no verbatim transcription of the supposed Public Hearing. And there certainly was no cross-examination. But why would there be? Without sworn testimony, there is no need to cross-examine anyone who spoke.
The attorney for WCLS is an excellent attorney. My guess is that he quickly realized that it was not a valid Public Hearing, so why ask questions? At the first Public Hearing, when the attorney for WCLS asked for a continuance, he said his reason was that he had not had time to prepare to cross-examine witnesses. As I said tonight, "Mark Gummerson is a great attorney, and he is ready to cross-examine when he wakes up in the morning."
Asking for a continuance (and having the City Attorney's designee show up with the okay in his pocket) was an excellent ploy by Mr. Gummerson. Oh, wait; the City Council does not like the word "ploy"; okay, it was an excellent tactic.
Will demolition take place in May? That's only four months away. Has the wrecking ball been scheduled? Someone knows...
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And where are Dan and Caryl Lemanski at in their efforts to have it nominated by the HPC for Landmark status?
I read the nomination requirements and it would appear a good argument could be made for Landmark status. Have they consulted with an architect/architectural historian to define the building’s architectural design/style value? It is the last building left from a large sprawling campus. It has impacted the culture and heritage of Woodstock, Illinois, and the Country as a whole. You don't see any historical or tourism references of Woodstock without mentioning Orson Welles and his time at Todd School. I'm sure it is mentioned in any bio of Welles. Robert Wilson, a founder of Fermi lab and "Father" of atomic energy.
If the HPC does not follow its' own criteria for nomination; Then a lawsuit must be prepared for filing once the HPC renders its decision. That will stop the wrecking ball for awhile; Along with the appeals process for the HPC and Community Development Board. Get the State Historical Preservation people involved.
It's time to play the game. Get Peasley onboard. Get him to write a series of articles in the NW Herald (not the Independence).
And who is this “developer”? What is he going to do with the building?
The landmark status recommendation is stalled at the Historic Preservation Commission, whic is asking the City Council not to address it until an April meeting. As I have written several times, this is a HUGE mistake.
I'm not sure that there is a precedent for asking this, and it does not appear in the Minutes for the HPC November meeting. The HPC approved it. Not sure why the Chairman of the HPC can make such a recommendation.
Yes, it is time to play hardball. Playing "nice" in real estate matters is a losing game.
Don Peasley? He's on the Board of WCLS. Not likely he will take up the cause of Grace Hall while he is a Board member.
Three state historical societies or agencies are involved with the HPC. The PEOPLE of Woodstock are not involved enough. Without a rallying cry of "Stop the Demolition", Grace Hall will become the site of two more money-making cottages/duplexes to fill the coffers of WCLS.
The silent developer has not been named. Word at last night's meeting was that Grace Hall would become offices.
The best solution? WCLS keeps it where it is. Preserve the exterior. Rehab it into condos for seniors. "Sell/rent/lease" them for the same $200,000 up-front that they want for the cottages, plus the monthly "rent".
Now that's win/win!
People don't get involved and "rally" till the last minute when it appears wrong doing is at hand. So far the proceedings appear normal and legit. It also doesn't help that Grace Hall/Todd School has been outside the publics access for 50 years. A majority of Woodstock resident probably have never heard of it. The Dole Mansion was saved because it was used for public functions and the residents knew about it. Honestly, I feel its a great coup WCLS is pulling off. They have slowly whittled away the campus down to one building; Now, after 50 years, no one's the wiser when they request to take that.
Reminds me of the line from "Usual Suspects" about the devil greatest trick ...
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