TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dustin Anderson, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:
title
Ordinance Repealing Designation of Whitney Terrace Subdivision as a Local Historic District
end
BACKGROUND:
The Whitney Terrace Local Historic District was designated a Local Historic District by the City Council on July 18, 2006. Whitney Terrace Local Historic District consists of six unique Tudor residences surrounding a landscaped common area that were built between 1923 and 1929. The enclave is the only one of its kind known in Joliet. Whitney Terrace was designed by local architect Levon Seron. Levon Seron, born in Chicago to Armenian-Turkish parents, attended MIT and opened his own architecture practice in Joliet. The six houses on Whitney Terrace are some of his earliest designs.
All six property owners within the six-lot Whitney Terrace Local Historic District desire to rescind local historic district designation status for their properties. Owner consent forms for all six property owners are attached. Their application for rescinding designation status states that they feel that local historic district designation has created an environment that is fiscally impractical to uphold and is too restrictive.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING:
The Historic Preservation Commission held a public hearing on this request to repeal designation of Whitney Terrace Subdivision as a Local Historic District at their February 26, 2025 meeting. Mr. Ken Spiegel, owner of 416 Whitney Avenue, spoke on behalf of the residents of the Whitney Terrace Subdivision in support of their petition to repeal the local historic district designation. No one from the public appeared to speak in favor of or in opposition to the request. Meeting minutes are attached.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION:
Ms. Sharon Merwin moved to recommend denial of the request to repeal local historic district designation from the Whitney Terrace Subdivision as a L...
Click here for full text