Crystal Lake historic building to get landmark vote after church that owns it sought demolition permit

A historic preservation architect said a building that served as Crystal Lake’s first school in the late 1800s is safe to keep standing, but the church where the building resides still questions its financial feasibility.

The Crystal Lake Academy Building, also known as the former Gates House or the Tarpley House, is located on the property of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 210 McHenry Ave. St. Mary’s last year applied for a demolition permit for the structure, which prompted the Crystal Lake Historic Preservation Commission to seek protections for the 172-year-old building.

The City Council is expected to vote on landmark status for the building April 1. In November, the Historic Preservation Commission unanimously recommended landmark status, and the church agreed to hold off on demolition plans for six months while preservationists assess whether it can be restored and for how much.

Gary Anderson, founder and architect of Studio GWA, a Rockford-based architecture, planning and development firm, was brought out to the academy building by Landmarks Illinois at the request of the Crystal Lake Historic Preservation Commission on Feb. 3. With experience of evaluating “hundreds” of historic structures for renovations and restoration projects, he said the building was structurally sound, according to a letter sent by Anderson to city staff obtained by the Northwest Herald via a Freedom of Information Act request.

“The building is in absolutely no danger of harming anyone due to a structural failure,” Anderson said in the letter. “Any talk of its unsoundness is uninformed and only perpetuates an unfounded myth that because these buildings are old, they need to be demolished. This building is structurally sound and worthy of being renovated for a new use.”

The church’s pastor, the Rev. Scott Zaucha, said the letter is not a full building assessment, and he hopes to get a more detailed report.

“The letter, from my perspective, is a perspective, but an incomplete one because he makes an assertion about the safety of the building, but that’s not backed up by any supporting documents or anything,” Zaucha said.

The church received a comprehensive building assessment 15 years ago that estimated more than $600,000 in repairs were needed – in today’s dollars, that more like $1 million, Zaucha said.

In the letter, Anderson suggested moving the building completely off the church property or moving the structure to a corner of the church property that the church could sell.

The church is open to discussing proposals but needs more details on the logistics and finances that would be involved in moving the building, Zaucha said.

“That’s not a small undertaking,” he said. “That is something that we would discuss with a proposal attached and a funding plan.”

Anderson argued that the April 1 deadline set by the church is “arbitrary,” and preservationists will need about six to nine more months to select a site, estimate costs, identify potential uses and determine who the new owners would be, whether private or public.

“This is a very significant structure that is historically important to the community of Crystal Lake,” Anderson said in the letter. “To deny a reasonable and responsible approach to repurpose this structure, given the time frame and erroneous sense of urgency, is not a good outcome for the community.”

Once the City Council votes on whether the building will receive historic landmark status, next steps to preservation or demolition will become more clear. St. Mary’s still sticks with demolition as the best path, but it is open to any proposals made, Zaucha said.

“St. Mary’s is still working hard to consider how best to use our campus to serve the most people the most effectively,” he said.

Getting the building on the National Register of Historic Places opens the opportunity for financial incentives, including federal and state tax credits, Anderson said. He cited Woodstock’s use of tax credits to revitalize the historic downtown Old Courthouse that ended up being a $22 million project.

“The building has great potential to be a very special place,” he said in the letter. “It’s a tremendous amount of work to save structures such as these for future generations to marvel at. It’s worth the effort.”

Built about 1853 by stonemason Andrew Jackson Simons, the Crystal Lake Academy Building features “rare” Greek revival and federalist architecture and cobblestones from Lake Michigan, Crystal Lake Historical Society President Diana Kenney said.