McHenry County Historical Society voices interest in former Motorola campus legal battle

Caught in a battle over Harvard's former Motorola campus, a local historical landmark is a far cry from the "most beautiful farm" title it was awarded nearly 80 years ago, officials say.

The William H. Coventry House has continued to deteriorate for years as attorneys fight for control over the former Motorola campus property at 2001 N. Division, McHenry County Historical Society members said.

Paula Rieghns, the society's board president, highlighted her concerns in an Oct. 2 statement filed in McHenry County court. The Coventry House is part of the embattled Harvard property that formerly housed a 1.5 million-square-foot Motorola plant.

When the company closed its doors in 2003, it left behind a piece of local history that the historical society has fought for years to maintain. As the battle over the long-vacant and potentially lucrative property continues, the historical society fears time is running out to preserve the more than 100-year-old structures.

"Despite a substantial pedigree and its inclusion on the Landmarks Illinois' 10 Most Endangered List in 2015, the house and its outbuildings continue to deteriorate – crushed beneath a weighty list of structural deficiencies and ignored by a series of absentee owners," Rieghns said in the court filing.

The Harvard home dates back to 1855 and once housed the family responsible for founding the Mayo Clinic, according to Rieghns' filing. The home served as a private residence through the 1990s before Motorola bought the property.

In 1940, the house and barn were the recipients of the Henry Horner award for "Most Beautiful Farm." The property additionally received a plaque from the McHenry County Historical Society Historic Sites Committee in 1989, and in 2015 was placed on the Landmarks Illinois Most Endangered Historic Places list.

Now access to the house and efforts to preserve it are stifled by the Canadian prosecution of the current owner, Xiao Hua "Edward" Gong. Gong, a politically connected businessman, is accused of fraudulently selling securities worth hundreds of millions of dollars to citizens for two companies, 024 Pharma Inc. and Canada National TV Inc.

The restraining order on three of Gong’s U.S. properties, including the Harvard site, means that Gong can’t sell or give away the property without written approval from the Ontario attorney general. He also must keep the properties in good condition, according to the order.

A June 2017 inspection of the Coventry House, however, revealed broken and missing windows, debris, water damage and holes in the roof, records show.

"Let’s face it: If they don’t do anything to the building, it may fall down," McHenry County Historical Society Administrator Kurt Begalka said in an interview. "In fact ... it may be too late already."

The society has asked a McHenry County judge to grant it access to the property for an up-to-date inspection.

"Long-term rehabilitation plans will require new and dedicated ownership of this unique parcel, which could easily be split off from the main manufacturing campus and donated to the Harvard Area Historical Society as its future home," Rieghns said in the filing. "The Coventry farm could be a catalyst for growth, a historic signpost for visitors entering Harvard from the north ... if ambivalence and legal wrangling do not reduce it to rubble first."

The matter is scheduled for a hearing Tuesday afternoon.