What would happen if a developer bought the Glenview House, intending to tear it down and build condominiums? What if the original Glenview State Bank building nearby were slated for demolition by a builder who thought new and profitable was better than old and charming? Would the village have any way to protect those remnants of our history? Not if the trustees move to change Glenview’s historic preservation ordinance as planned.

The village board is set to trash the law so buildings could only be designated landmarks – worthy of protection and eligible for special grants – if their owners request that special status. Developers bent on tearing down historic buildings and replacing them would be free to do so. Government entities, like the park district, could build onto their headquarters on Prairie Street without oversight by the historic preservation commission.

In a letter to Village President Larry Carlson, the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois warned Glenview would be unable to protect its distinctive heritage if changes are made in the ordinance. "The village, which currently holds no local landmark designations, will be unlikely to obtain any in the future," wrote Council President David Bahlman. "It will have no effective means for preserving its own architectural and cultural heritage."

The trustees proposed their change to the law just as the historic preservation commission was about to consider landmark status for Wagner Farm and the park district’s administration building on Prairie Street.

Bahlman said Glenview could also lose its status as one of 52 communities allowed by the state to certify local landmarks. The historic preservation commission had worked for two years to secure that status. The board is expected to review proposed changes to the ordinance and hear public comment at 7:30, Tuesday, November 18 in the board room of Village Hall.

On a cool , cloudy Saturday morning, about three dozen area residents turned out for Scenic Illinois’ first walking tour of historic downtown Glenview. The crowd included Village President Larry Carlson, three members of the Appearance Commission and Zoning Board Member Mary Novotny.

During a 90-minute stroll, they learned that a white brick building near the corner of Dewes and Waukegan roads was once a filling station built by Pure Oil executive Henry Dawes who selected the cottage-style architecture because his wife did not want to clutter the landscape with commercial buildings. Local historian Bob Sherman, a descendant of Dawes, then told how his great uncle – an oil industry pioneer -- had been negotiating the sale of some mineral rights to land where he had been unable to find oil. During talks in New York, Dawes received a telegram. "Congratulations," it said. "You’re a father. It’s a boy."

Dawes was taken aback since his wife was not expecting, but he quickly left the room to phone his field engineer who said he had finally struck oil. Had the telegram said as much and advised Dawes to forget about the sale, Sherman mused, the telegram would probably not have been delivered.

Sherman also described the site of a 1994 arts fair where a Glenview woman fell off a village curb beside the downtown branch of Bank One. "She sued the bank, the village and the art fair -- and won!" Sherman recalled.

Of special note at the corner of Glenview and Waukegan roads was the antique shop once known as the Blue Heron. A country restaurant along the railroad line from Chicago, it was popular on summer weekends when city dwellers would feast on fried chicken, then stroll along the banks of the north branch of the Chicago River. The Blue Heron had Glenview’s first telephone, allowing diners to call ahead and place orders. It’s number: Glenview 9.

The small brick structure just north of the Dairy Bar on Lehigh Avenue also warranted a stop. Its architecture and building materials are the same as those of the building now occupied by Truely Amish Furniture – once Glenview’s post office, but no one knows why the smaller structure was built.

Other sites included the old Glenview State Bank building constructed by the Rugen family – owners of the local hardware and dry goods store and other area merchants, the Glenview House where a vote to incorporate the village was taken in the 1890's, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s campus where 1,300 people came for dinner with President John F. Kennedy in 1960.

Local history also caught the media’s eye last week. North Shore Magazine began and ended a long feature on this community with discussion of Wagner Farm, and WTTW’s Chicago Tonight included a loving story about the farm. It included beauty shots of the cows and unpainted barn, old footage of Pete Wagner on his antique tractor "Betsy," and pictures taken by professional photographer and COWS founder Norma Morrison. Despite his gruff exterior, Pete agreed to let Morrison take his picture – except when he was milking, because he said she made the cows nervous. Reporter Rich Samuels talked with Morrison as well as resident Mike Luxem who, as a teenager, worked for Pete Wagner. Neighbors Beth Steger and Kathleen Thiele and Farm Manager Todd Price also shared their thoughts about the farm.

Perhaps hoping to revive his public image after reports of a generous retirement package, Village Manager Paul McCarthy told the Chicago Tribune that public policy has been a lifelong fascination for him. "Some guys want to have dinner with J. Lo. I want to have dinner with syndicated political columnist Molly Ivins."

The Glenview Library Board will ask for an 8-10 percent tax hike this year to build up its reserves. Previous boards had voted to spend their rainy day money rather than charging residents more, but levels have fallen so low that last year the board had to borrow from the village to pay its bills.

The proposed increase would amount to about $17 per year on an annual tax bill of $5,500.

On the spending side, next year’s library budget calls for a 5 percent increase in staff salaries and the addition of one part-time clerk. To reduce expenses, the board proposes closing the library on summer Sundays for a saving of $20,500.

Because library funds come through the village – a home-rule municipality – tax hikes are not subject to Illinois’ tax cap. The village board may discuss the proposed increase at its November 18 meeting.

Does Italian cuisine make you swoon? Then consider the opportunity offered by pasta maker Barilla America based in Bannockburn. The firm is offering $200 for a poem to be published in Free Lunch, the Glenview-based poetry magazine. Editor Ron Offen says the idea came up after Barilla placed an ad in last summer’s Ravinia Festival program that seemed to slam poets. Offen was offended and wrote a letter to the company threatening a protest by area poets in front of company headquarters. Picket signs might have read: "Poets are ready to boycott spaghetti."

In response, the company’s Vice President of Marketing assured Offen that he loves poetry. After all, said Sergio Pereira, Italy is the land of Dante and Virgil! The pasta executive then proposed a poetry contest and offered the $200 prize. Send your odes to spaghetti, ravioli, lasagna or tortellini to Free Lunch, Box 717, Glenview, IL 60025.

Glenbrook High School District 225 issued a report last week on what should be done in the wake of a devastating hazing incident that ended with several students injured and 33 seniors expelled. The document called for a community-wide code of civility and additional police training.

Former school board member Art Wulf scolded the district for getting involved with something that happened off school grounds, and resident Caryn Goode complained the proposals did not go far enough. According to the Chicago Tribune, Goode said kids should not be allowed to come and go during school dances and ought to have a dress code. When picking her son up, she had observed "too much cleavage, bellybuttons and body parts. It looks like they’re coming out of a bar," she told the board.

– News spread rapidly through Glenview’s environmental community last week when prairie docent and Girl Scout leader Mary Jo Ghiselli spied a pelican paddling around Lake Glenview, soaring over Gallery Park and wading in the rushes behind Park Center at The Glen. The Audubon Society’s Steve Packard expressed surprise at the news but said the large white pelican with its long yellow beak spends summers in the Dakotas, northern Minnesota and Canada – then migrates to Florida for the winter. Packard said pelicans were not often seen in these parts because there is so little habitat for them, but he speculated this bird had decided to take a rest in Glenview’s newest natural area. On Sunday morning, the pelican was still around – snoozing near a protected island in the lake. Bring binoculars.

– If you think Glenview’s got problems, check out this week’s edition of Living on Earth. Watch Editor Sandy Hausman reports on a massive colony of bats that has moved into Melbourne’s botanic garden. It’s an earful at www.loe.org .

– Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin plans to meet with Lt. Governor Pat Quinn to find funds for improvements along the Des Plaines River – making the waterway more accessible for people and canoes.

– Landscape architect Elina Kataja, who has overseen a major renovation of the corporate campus at Lake Cook and Sanders roads, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 4 at the Chicago Botanic Garden. For more information, call 847-291-9434.

– The Schaumburg Prairie Center for Performing Arts will host a free, day-long seminar on November 15. Featured topics include: the Poplar Creek Prairie Restoration, Protecting Community Natural Resources, Indoor Air Quality, Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois and Living with Urban Wildlife. For details on the event, to be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 201 Schaumburg Court, call 847-781-2660.

After the collapse of a multi-story garage in Atlantic City last week, some residents may have wondered about new parking decks at The Glen. While those structures met all building code requirements, the fire department says ceilings are too low to accommodate ambulances, and the floors would not support fire trucks that weigh about 68,000 pounds. Few structures have the 12-foot clearance needed, according to Deputy Chief Wayne Globerger. "It’s pushing the concrete envelope," given the expense involved. Glenview officials signed off on the decks when designers agreed to install sprinklers in the ceiling of the lower level and stand pipes on both levels so firemen would have access to water. In the event of a blaze, Globerger says, they could either go in on foot or use the shift commander’s van.

– Morton Grove is talking about hikes in taxes on food, beverages and gasoline to help fill a significant budget gap. Our neighbor to the south has already raised property taxes by 5 percent ($61 for the owner of a $300,000 home), is planning to charge for ambulance service and will increase the local sales tax by one quarter of one percent. The community may also ask residents to pay for garbage collection, something Glenview residents already do.

– Northbrook may allow developers to build an access road north of Willow Road to speed development of large pieces of land west of Pfingsten. Planners say it’s unlikely buyers would want expensive houses that face a four-lane road that carries lots of traffic to and from the Tri-State Tollway, and they say they’re reluctant to allow more driveways and streets to dump cars and trucks onto Willow.

– Students at two high schools in Arlington Heights performed the Laramie Project, a play about the murder of Matthew Shepard, an openly gay man living in Wyoming. Some area residents protested, saying the work presented a sanitized version of Shepard’s life and promoted homosexuality. Supporters argued the work was about discrimination and tolerance.

– The Army Corps of Engineers has begun a community survey to determine how much support there might be for a marina in Evanston.

– The Glenview Public Library hosts a Veteran’s Day Tribute at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 11 in the Maynard Room. Representatives from each of the armed forces will share their tales from WWII and answer questions. Sign up at the information desk or call 729-7500, extension 112.

– Learn more about the Orient Express at this week’s International Night (7 p.m. Wednesday, November 5) when world traveler Esther Perica shares slides of her trip from Beijing to Moscow. Call the public library for details or to make a reservation for this free program: 729-7500, extension 112.

– Michigan poet Jack Ridl will read his work at the Glenview Public Library at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 16. His poems often touch on Midwestern scenes, everyday life and sports. Audience members can also sign up to read one of their works. For details, call 729-3595. To learn more about Free Lunch, visit www.poetsfreelunch.org.

– Learn about other library events by e-mail. Send a note to wallis@glenview.lib.il.us .

– The Rotary Club’s Fifth Annual Glenview Holiday Concert is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, November 30 at Glenbrook South High School’s auditorium. The program will include traditional holiday music and a community singalong, a visit from Santa, a silent auction and special musical guests. Tickets are $10 for individuals or $30 for a family. Send checks to Rotary Club of Glenview-Sunrise, PO Box 382, Glenview, IL 60025. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the door. For more information, call 847-374-0660.

Former Trustee John Crawford reacts to news the village board may vote to raise Glenview’s local sales tax by three quarters of a percent and its property tax by five cents: "I'd prefer an increase in the property tax instead of a municipal sales tax. Five cents more on the property tax would have cost me about $44 this year. I hesitate to estimate the cost of 3/4% in sales tax, but my estimate is the cost for me and my wife for local purchases of food and meals is $88. We can afford it, but there are many lower income people whose ratio of costs for the two taxes would be about the same if not worse. I doubt the need for a director of communications if times are this hard. While the automobile business is very important, and I sympathize with the problems of small businessmen, it would be especially galling for those who can ill afford any tax increases to see an exemption for purchasers of SUVs while they are stretching their oatmeal budget. The rationale for exempting gasoline sales due to the ease of purchasing gas south of Central or north of Willow is easy to see, but the grocery stores and other merchants can make the same argument. Forget about the sales tax. Once the door is open, it will be too easy to increase it."

Jennifer Sheridan writes about pollution at Flick Park: "For years, school buses have sat idling at Flick with only the driver aboard during the off hours. Today, at 1 p.m. there were seven of them from the Cook County School Bus Company. Airborne pollutants increase our cancer risk, and the noise from these buses is awful. I don’t want drivers to freeze, but I believe some action could be taken by both the bus company and the park district. We could open the warming shelter near where the ice rink used to be and allow drivers to spend their down time there? What about allowing one bus to keep its engine running for any drivers who need a heated place to relax between shifts? If there’s anyone out there who would try and work on this with me, please let me know. It’s a community problem."

The Watch replies: Readers can e-mail Glenview Watch to be connected with Jennifer Sheridan – or just show up at a park district meeting held at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at Park Center. The commissioners hear any public concerns at the beginning of their meetings.

Nancy Chadwick wonders what’s become of plans for affordable senior housing at The Glen: "I understand there is a project in the works to build subsidized senior housing at The Glen, managed by the same folks as Patten House. I haven't seen or heard of any progress and was wondering what the status was."

The Watch replies: Construction of Thomas House, named after former Village President Paul Thomas, could begin as early as 2004 according to the village manager’s office, but Lifelink – a not-for-profit health and human services group involved with the project says it’s in the "pre-planning stage" – where it has been since it was originally proposed many years ago. The problem appears to be a lack of funding for low-income housing. The development group says it will apply again to the Illinois Housing Development Authority for tax credits after being turned down the first time around.

Henry Hill says we "completely misinterpreted my comment about the new fire station near Lake and Wagner. I was not being critical but trying to be complimentary. I think the barn look is great and in total keeping with the farm across the road. I was just trying to be a bit facetious with my rhetorical question about the red paint."

JAS wonders if we’ve got a few too many fire houses: "I find it interesting, now that we have gotten clearance for two new stations that one of the old ones is falling apart. Bet me they are not going to renovate but tear down and rebuild state of the art. Do any other towns our size have, count them, five fire stations? As for those newly-proposed tax hikes, they’re especially upsetting in light of what we are giving Village Manager McCarthy to move to Florida: a nice big vehicle to pull his boat and a pile of money. What brilliance to say that The Glen is wildly successful. Maybe the grand opening was. Let's see five years from now, when McCarthy is sitting on his arse at his villa in Florida with us paying his freight, how successful it is. Common sense says it is much too early to prove success but we know that there is a sad lack of common sense in this town. It is all about money and greed and forcing those without the big bucks out. How can he possibly have the audacity to say the GNAS has nothing to do with a rise in taxes? Does he think we were all born yesterday?"

Lyon Liefer of Glenview Road also writes about our story on Village Manager McCarthy, The Glen and its critics: "You quote him describing ‘alienation and problems of marginalization felt by people who aren’t at the cocktail party, people who ­ for whatever reason, whether it¹s economics, whether it’s social status, whether it’s age, whether it’s any one of a host of things, do not see themselves as players in this game that we call Glenview.’ Aside from its obviously elitist bias, his comment totally begs the question of livability factors that people of varied economic and social standing want – a leafy atmosphere, some variety in home design, lack of crowding _- all of which are utterly lacking at The Glen. Driving by from the east, along Lehigh, one sees an unrelieved expanse of cookie-cutter McMansions aligned in martial discipline along a grid. While there may be some nice spots for homes along the golf course, those would have to be the tiniest minority of available spots at The Glen. I, for one, wouldn't care to be included in our manager's party, nor would I enjoy living in a subdivision cheek-by-jowl with the neighbors, in a house too large for its lot, with barely a tree in sight. Wasn't Glenview once known as a Tree City? Then there's the issue of how The Glen affects mobility and a calm quality of life. All day long, traffic streams in and out of the area on all available roads to the east (Chestnut, Lake and Glenview Rd.). Has the impact of this new population been considered in the planning? It seems doubtful that the current widening of Lake Avenue will solve this problem, although we can hope for amelioration, at least. Actually, we owe Mr. McCarthy a debt of gratitude for raising the issue of alienation and marginalization. The cause is not that we can't all afford spots on the golf course or don't see Glenview as a ‘game.’ It is that conditions around The Glen make our quality of life worse than it needed to be or ought to be. Perhaps it's understandable that Mr. McCarthy would strike out so wildly in defense of this project, for which he bears so much responsibility. Nevertheless, as a livable solution for the needs of most of its residents and of the Glenview community as a whole, The Glen looks like a failure."

Brad Rowe also feels McCarthy got it wrong: "Criticism of The Glen is not because we aren't at the cocktail party or because people resent the wealth. The Glen has some wonderful places in the new Park Center and the lake. But, Mr. McCarthy, you must admit that there has been some poor planning that has resulted in a waste of our funds. We watch the reconstruction of Patriot Blvd. for the third time. The homes may be expensive, but they lie on small lots with no distinction between them. Where is the low-income housing that was promised? Town Center turned out great, but it sits on a residential road. Our trustees like to brag that The Glen was 96% sold in a few short years, but this came with a poorly executed plan and a loss of tax money to those who live outside The Glen. We sure hope it gets better, but for now, the idea of new taxes is not appealing, and we'll have our cocktails at Glenview House."

GK disagrees with Watch coverage of the Korean-American man who wanted to open a liquor store on Glenview Road at Harms but was refused a license by the village board: "I really didn't see that the village and neighborhood were out to spoil someone's American dream. The village has a history of being very tough regarding the issuance of liquor licenses. Whether right or not, is does seem like they were consistent in this case. And the neighbor's reaction to the license application being race related? Our group of families on Echo Lane has a United Nations feel to it. My opposition to Mr. Lee's application was primarily based on my review of the cover letter and application that he submitted to the village. I understand that Mr. Lee may have presented a different view to the village board, but I had to work from his original printed words as to what his real intentions were. A major point of your article was that a high-class wine store was proposed. Reading his cover letter sure seems to indicate that a retail beer store was the goal. I too love Schaeffer's, but a comparison to their operation really isn't applicable. Mr. Lee stated that he has no experience in the liquor business, but that's not surprising for someone who just turned 24 years old last week. This request for a liquor license just didn't seem to offer much benefit for the neighborhood and the village at large. The process seemed to work correctly in this case."

DS agrees: "I am one of those residents who signed the petition against having a liquor store by the White Hen at Harms and Glenview. While there was great concern about a liquor store there, no one at any time mentioned anything about race or ethnicity. The notice from the village was sent to only a few residences nearby. It was accompanied by the letter from the applicant who said he wanted a high-end liquor store but would have to start out with the ‘bread and butter’ of the business as well – beer. He acknowledged he knew little about the business, which I found particularly troubling. It’s true I had visions of the liquor store next to downtown Dominick’s, not an appealing vision, but I was also concerned about drinking in the area, given the number of people who use the bike path on weekends. Another important point: the parking lot by the White Hen is already very congested, unlike Schaeffer’s which has much more space and is only for Schaeffer’s. Mr. Lee’s promise to close the store at 8 p.m. would not address these problems."

The Watch replies: We did not mean to suggest that race was an issue for the neighbors, but it may have been for President Carlson who called Mr. Lee "Mr Kim," and for Trustee Lerner who didn’t think Lee had enough experience to succeed. The latter seemed condescending to us, as does the suggestion that a 24-year-old is unlikely to prosper in a new commercial venture. People deserve a chance, regardless of their race or age. That said, your point about parking is well taken, and Lee did say he would sell beer – the "bread and butter" of any liquor business.

Biff Thiele says the public has, again, been had: "As the recent library survey showed, 60% of residents still want the library to remain downtown _- almost exactly what a previous survey showed a couple years ago, but when guesstimated costs were compared, only 38% favored downtown. Yippee! Glenview taxpayers were successfully manipulated into choosing exactly what the powers that be wanted all along. The best option was deliberately withheld from the survey questionnaire – the one preferred by residents in the previous survey. That third option – adding on to the current library -- would cost less than both options in this survey and would keep the library downtown, but officials want taxpayers to believe that The Glen location was actually our choice. Allowing the public to reflect on the third option would have derailed that illusion. Whenever the question of current site expansion comes up, officials tell us the post office can’t afford to move. But, if Glenview donated land at The Glen, a move could be possible, freeing the downtown site for library expansion. The public would be happy, and the post office would be happy, but what makes us happy is of no concern to our elected officials. If taxpayer concerns were a priority, all of our side streets and sewers would be slated for repairs, paid for with money now going to infrastructure at The Glen, our schools wouldn’t be scrounging for money lost to the TIF and Wagner Farm and Hanger One would not have been defaced in the name of progress or looking neat and tidy."

Fed up seems to agree: "Let's analyze the findings from the Library Location Preference survey. All things being equal, The Glen location was preferred by an underwhelming 27% while an overwhelming 61% preferred downtown. We have a 49% to 38% preference for The Glen when dubious lower costs are considered. This is the flimsy data our library board and board of trustees will use to force the new library to be built at The Glen. To village residents I say, ‘Vote no on any library tax rate increase!’"

And Merchandise Man has done some comparison shopping at The Glen: "While visiting the new Glen Town Center, we were very much impressed by the elegance of the Von Maur store. In the men's department we came upon two blue-jean clad mannequins sporting long-sleeve shirts. Upon closer inspection we found the shirts were 100% cotton and cost a whopping $152 each! Whoa! Caveat emptor. No wonder Manager McCarthy is taking early retirement at age 61. Take the money and run, Paul."

A history-loving reader wonders why Scenic Illinois, sponsor of a public tour of historic downtown Glenview, ignored another historic treasure: "The Glenview Journal this week revealed that Scenic Illinois will ‘make the public more aware of visual images and wide variety of historical architecture’ focusing on downtown buildings. Why did this group never focus on the once unique and bucolic visual images and historical architecture of Wagner Farm buildings before the Park District destroyed it all by covering history with red paint? A case of the wimps?"

YOUR TURN: Write to glenviewwatch@aol.com or 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. If you haven’t already done so, please consider making a contribution to support The Watch. Non-deductible checks should be payable to Glenview Watch. Thanks for your support and for reading. Dean Schott and Sandy Hausman, Co-Editors.

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