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Naperville council makes Nichols Library a landmark

The Naperville City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday night to designate the old Nichols Library as a local landmark, against the wishes of the owner of the property.

The landmark designation means any exterior changes to the 119-year-old building at 110 S. Washington St. will require a certificate of appropriateness, which can be granted by the city's historic preservation commission.

Representatives of property owner Dwight Avram said before the vote that landmark status would be a "proverbial nuclear option" that would hamper their efforts to work with the community to both preserve the historic structure, possibly in a new location, and present a viable mixed-use development.

But supporters of making the building a landmark say they want those compromise conversations to continue - in the open, instead of through talks among elected officials and businesspeople. They say the additional level of review created by the designation will increase transparency.

"Landmark it and the whole community can be part of its repurposing," council member Paul Hinterlong said. "A building of this importance needs the extra scrutiny in the process."

The vote came against the feelings of Mayor Steve Chirico and council members Kevin Coyne and Benjamin White.

Chirico said he wanted to find an alternative option to preserve the city's first library, potentially on the grassy site immediately west of its current library at 200 W. Jefferson Ave. But he said the motivation to pursue those options is gone with landmark status in place.

"The problem is there's no more reason to compromise because then the historic preservation commission is in control," he said.

Approving landmark status without delay sets new rules for future development on the site, but it also gives certainty that the city wants the Richardsonian Romanesque building to be preserved, council member Rebecca Boyd-Obarski said.

"If we can see this change happen within the parameters of landmark status, it will be truly dynamic," she said. "Truly good adaptive repurposing is once again going to put Naperville on the map."

Several speakers among 40 members of the public who voiced opinions brought up concerns about property rights, the constitutionality of landmarking the building against its owner's wishes, and the risk of future legal action.

But City Attorney Mike DiSanto said if a lawsuit were filed, it would be "unlikely to be successful" if the city can prove officials aren't depriving the property owner of all beneficial uses of the site.

Approving landmark status satisfies an application filed in June by Naperville residents Barb Hower and Charlie Wilkins.

But it leaves the building's future uncertain after current user Truth Lutheran Church vacates it in a few months to move to a new worship space on the north side of town.

After the vote, Avram said he had no comment.

Visions differ for future of former Nichols Library in Naperville

Naperville reviewing push to turn historic library into local landmark

Developer: Naperville's historic library isn't what it used to be

Landmark application for old Nichols next on Naperville docket

Naperville considering landmark discussions about more historic buildings

Naperville panel recommends landmark status for historic library

What if old Nichols were moved?

  Supporters of the grass-roots preservation group Save Old Nichols, and supporters of a builder who wants to redevelop the 119-year-old building on Washington Street, packed a Naperville City Council meeting about the structure on Tuesday night. The council voted 6-3 to designate the building a local landmark. Marie Wilson/mwilson@dailyherald.com
  Old Nichols Library in downtown Naperville is the latest building to be designated a local landmark. Marie Wilson/mwilson@dailyherald.com
  Signs in front of the old Nichols Library in Naperville inform passers-by of a development proposal, which since has been withdrawn, and an application for landmark status for the 119-year-old building. Landmark status was granted Tuesday night. Marie Wilson/mwilson@dailyherald.com
  This open land west of the current Nichols Library at 200 W. Jefferson Ave. in downtown Naperville is one site where officials have discussed moving the old Nichols Library if a compromise can be reached to relocate and preserve it. Marie Wilson/mwilson@dailyherald.com
  Kevin Peterson, an architect and member of Naperville's historic preservation commission, discusses plans to maintain the facade of the old Nichols Library in redevelopment proposals for the property along Washington Street in downtown. Those plans are now uncertain after the city council designated the building a local landmark. Marie Wilson/mwilson@dailyherald.com
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