|
|
|
A struggling economy has resulted in declining donations for the Downers Grove Heritage Preservation Corp. and the Blodgett House effort.
The group is now seeking financial assistance from the Downers Grove Park District to finish exterior renovations of the historic home, which was relocated to the Park District Museum campus last year.
Gordon Goodman, preservation member, appeared at the March 5 Park Board meeting asking for the district’s help in funding the renovations.
“The economy has turned down, and we’ve found that donations to our organization have very substantially fallen off,” Goodman said Tuesday. “We really feel it’s very important to complete the renovation of the Blodgett House in a timely fashion. It doesn’t look as though we are able to raise enough money (for phase one) before June 30, which is our current agreement with the Park District.”
The Park Board is expected to discuss the matter further during Thursday’s meeting at 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 801 Burlington Ave., according to Park District officials.
Park Commissioner Art Jaros said if the Park District were to take over funding the remaining exterior renovations, thousands of dollars would be added to the project due to the bidding process. The district would also have to provide prevailing wages to the construction workers.
“I’m struggling with the value of our taking it over. The minute we do, we add $40,000 to $50,000,” Jaros said. “I don’t want to jack up the costs. I’m dead set against that.”
Jaros recommended that once the exterior work is completed in the fall, the Downers Grove Heritage Preservation Corp. will let the Blodgett House sit for up to a few years until the rest of the necessary funds are raised to complete the interior work. Commissioner Cathy Mahoney said she agreed with Jaros’ outlook.
Commissioner Kathryn Engel-Accettura said she had some concerns with the district paying for the project because no budget allowances have been set aside.
“It wasn’t supposed to be a Park District project. We were going to partner with (the group). Now I feel as through it is becoming a Park District project,” Engel-Accettura said. “My hesitation is that it will not be completed for a very long time without Park District funding and budgeting, which means other things we have budgeted for may not get done.”
The 1846 Blodgett House was home to Israel and Avis Blodgett and their children, who were some of the first settlers in the village. The home is also documented as a stopover on the Underground Railroad, where slaves would stay as they sought freedom.
A struggling economy has resulted in declining donations for the Downers Grove Heritage Preservation Corp. and the Blodgett House effort.
The group is now seeking financial assistance from the Downers Grove Park District to finish exterior renovations of the historic home, which was relocated to the Park District Museum campus last year.
Gordon Goodman, preservation member, appeared at the March 5 Park Board meeting asking for the district’s help in funding the renovations.
“The economy has turned down, and we’ve found that donations to our organization have very substantially fallen off,” Goodman said Tuesday. “We really feel it’s very important to complete the renovation of the Blodgett House in a timely fashion. It doesn’t look as though we are able to raise enough money (for phase one) before June 30, which is our current agreement with the Park District.”
The Park Board is expected to discuss the matter further during Thursday’s meeting at 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 801 Burlington Ave., according to Park District officials.
Park Commissioner Art Jaros said if the Park District were to take over funding the remaining exterior renovations, thousands of dollars would be added to the project due to the bidding process. The district would also have to provide prevailing wages to the construction workers.
“I’m struggling with the value of our taking it over. The minute we do, we add $40,000 to $50,000,” Jaros said. “I don’t want to jack up the costs. I’m dead set against that.”
Jaros recommended that once the exterior work is completed in the fall, the Downers Grove Heritage Preservation Corp. will let the Blodgett House sit for up to a few years until the rest of the necessary funds are raised to complete the interior work. Commissioner Cathy Mahoney said she agreed with Jaros’ outlook.
Commissioner Kathryn Engel-Accettura said she had some concerns with the district paying for the project because no budget allowances have been set aside.
“It wasn’t supposed to be a Park District project. We were going to partner with (the group). Now I feel as through it is becoming a Park District project,” Engel-Accettura said. “My hesitation is that it will not be completed for a very long time without Park District funding and budgeting, which means other things we have budgeted for may not get done.”
The 1846 Blodgett House was home to Israel and Avis Blodgett and their children, who were some of the first settlers in the village. The home is also documented as a stopover on the Underground Railroad, where slaves would stay as they sought freedom.
Last summer, the DGHPC funded the relocation of the Blodgett House from 812 Randall St., across a grassy lot to 831 Maple Ave., onto the Downers Grove Park District Museum campus.
| Options on the table SCENARIO ONE The Park District would take over funding completion of phase one — exterior renovations. The district would receive $56,000 from the Downers Grove Heritage Preservation Corp., which the group has saved up so far for the work. Due to the bidding process and abiding by the Prevailing Wage Act, this option could increase the price tag on the remainder of the project from about $90,000 to upwards of $150,000. The DGHPC would hold onto an additional $10,000 from its savings to operate its annual fundraising concert the night before Heritage Fest kicks off. SCENARIO TWO The Park District would completely pay for the remaining work of phase one, leaving the group’s entire $66,000 budget intact. Those funds would be considered seed money for phase two, or the interior renovations of the historic home. SCENARIO THREE The Park District also discussed the idea of lending the DGHPC the missing funds needed to complete phase one. In advancing those dollars, the board discussed requiring the group to fully reimburse the district before work could get underway on phase two. |
