Historic Barry House in St. Charles safe from demolition

The proposed demolition of a St. Charles home built in 1844 has been denied due to the home’s historical significance.

The Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles requested permission from the city to demolish two homes on Cedar Avenue to make way for additional parking.

The church has owned the two properties at 211-215 and 217 Cedar Ave. since 1993. The homes are located on the south side of Cedar Avenue just west of Third Avenue downtown, one block west of the church at 307 Cedar Ave.

The church applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish the homes in order to construct a lot of about 20 parking spaces, which would be made available for public use when not used by their congregation.

The home at 217 Cedar Ave., known in the St. Charles list of historic buildings as the Barry House, was formerly owned by Judge William D. Barry in the mid 1800s. The home displays Greek revival architecture and Abraham Lincoln was said to have stayed in the home while visiting Judge Barry, according to records from the St. Charles History Museum.

The Historic Preservation Commission reviewed the request at their Oct. 2 meeting and approved the demolition of the structure at 211-215 Cedar Ave., but denied the request to demolish the Barry House.

Pastor David Aslesen told the commission that the condition of both structures has deteriorated to the point that they are uninsurable and have been the target of several break-ins, trespassing and vandalism in recent years. He said the ownership has become a financial burden for the church, and presented the plans to build a parking lot on the property.

“The burden of these two houses will contribute to the congregation’s demise,” Aslesen said.

The commission reviewed similar plans in 2017, when they approved the demolition of the 211-215 Cedar Ave. property and all auxiliary structures at 217 Cedar Ave. but denied the demolition of the home. This time they denied demolition of the entire Barry House property.

While the 211-215 Cedar Ave. property is in disarray, a 2017 architectural survey of the Barry House found that the structure was in remarkable condition and restoration would require only cosmetic work.

Commission members said that while the Barry House has not been given a landmark designation, it is located in the city’s historic district and has been classified as a contributing structure to the city’s history.

Four people spoke during public comment, including the home’s former owner, opposing the demolition. Reasoning from those against the demolition included the building’s historical significance, the lack of safety concerns and the absence of an apparent need to demolish.

Gloria Kohlert Geske owned the Barry House until it was purchased by the church. She told the commission members that her family had owned the home for 80 years, and it was in great condition when it was sold.

While church representatives at the meeting claimed they were unaware of the historical significance when they purchased the property, Geske said when she sold the home, she was told by the church that there were no plans to demolish the building and that they appreciated the building’s history.

The Historic Preservation Commission expressed disappointment with the church’s failure to maintain the properties and claimed they did not do their due diligence in trying to sell the Barry House.

“I can’t approve a demolition by neglect,” Commission Chairman Kim Malay said before the motion was made to deny the request.

The denial was approved in a unanimous vote.