Downers Grove applying for historic landmark on Main Street train station

DOWNERS GROVE – The village of Downers Grove will go through its own historical landmarking application process in order to landmark the Main Street train station in downtown Downers Grove.

Mayor Martin Tully said during the March 8 Downers Grove Village Council meeting that the village would lead by example in its effort to increase the number of landmarked properties in the village.

Director of Community Development Stan Popovich said the village will go through the same application process as any resident.

The village’s Architectural Design Review Board will have a hearing on the train station landmark application, as well as applications for two houses, at 7 p.m. April 20. If approved by the board, the application will move to the council for another hearing and vote.

During its March 22 meeting, the council approved landmark status for the home of Amy and David Gassen, which was the first landmark granted since the village revised its historic landmark ordinance in December.

Popovich said the train station is a good example of a village-owned property that qualifies as a historic landmark.

“It’s got some architectural character to it, and it’s a property that is easily identifiable with Downers Grove,” he said.

The village leases space inside the station to businesses, but Popovich said landmarking the station should not affect those tenants because the ordinance only requires maintaining the historical character of the outside of the building.

“By landmarking this property, it’s not going to preclude any improvements to the inside of that building,” he said.