Regarding the potential relocation of the home at 3744 Stanley Ave. (“Riverside Lawn home eligible for National Register,” News, July 12): If the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency truly wants to save this house, there is a much cheaper option than moving it to Riverside.
The county purchased a home at 7900 W. 39th St. This property, to date, has never flooded. It is to be torn down and is a little more than one block away. Moving the home here is preferable to destroying a significant piece of history.
The fact that the Cook County Land Bank did not offer this option, coupled with their rush to take possession of this property and leaving it at the mercy of vandals while fully aware of the architectural survey, is very telling of the Cook County Land Bank’s position on this matter.
It’s a shame that the historic significance and value of this fine home was not investigated in a timely manner. It should have been investigated before it was sold, before the demolition sale, before teens broke in, before the vandalism.
It is not very likely Riverside Lawn will be completely bought out for a number of reasons, so the home would not be “isolated” in the Forest preserve. As a matter of fact, there is a very large police presence on 39th Street from the village of Riverside going back and forth from town to the Riverside Public Works facility on Columbus Boulevard in Riverside Lawn.
Ed and Sue Kozoyed
Riverside Lawn
