The Crystal Lake City Council has agreed to landmark one of the city’s oldest standing buildings, but only if preservationists can move it off the church property on which it’s located within six months.

The Crystal Lake Academy Building, also known as the former Gates House and the Tarpley House, stands on the property of Trinity Episcopal Parish’s St. Mary’s Church at 210 McHenry Ave. The church 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 was set to vote on the landmarking decision in July but tabled it over concerns that preservationists didn’t have solid plans about what to do with the building.

Those concerns remained at Tuesday’s meeting. After hours of debate, council members unanimously agreed to landmark the building with strict conditions that preservationists must find a new location within 30 days and raise funds and move the building by April 30.

If the group fails at those tasks within the deadlines, the landmarking consideration will go back to the council for another vote.

“Keeping the building there is not a long-term solution,” council member Brett Hopkins said. “We have to find a compromise here.”

Last year, the Historic Preservation Commission unanimously recommended landmark status for the structure, and the church agreed to hold off on demolition plans for six months while preservationists assessed whether it could be restored and for how much. Since then, the City Council’s landmark vote has been postposed multiple times to grant preservationists more time.

Built in 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.

It was constructed as the city’s first purpose-built school for education beyond eighth grade. The building also was the childhood home of William Day Gates, who created the American Terra Cotta & Ceramic Co. factory, where terra cotta tiles and TECO pottery were made.

The iron fence on the church property was unanimously approved for landmarking Tuesday, as the church doesn’t have concerns over it.

The majority of the council found that moving the building off the church’s property is the only reasonable compromise. If landmarked on the property, it is ultimately the church’s responsibility to maintain it for decades to come.

“It still becomes a burden to the church, even if they get a million dollars,” Mayor Haig Haleblain said. “That’s what bothers me.”

The city ordinance indicates that there would be penalties or fines if the building was left neglected, Community Development Director Kathryn Cowlin said.

The church’s pastor, the Rev. Scott Zaucha, raised concerns over increasing insurance rates and costs to secure and maintain the structure.

“Every inch of our space is in use all the time,” he said. “So, spaces that are less than safe and are unsightly are not places that allow us to do our primary mission, which is service to the community, service of our neighbors and worship of the church.”

After the July meeting, a group of about 20 volunteers banded together as the Crystal Lake Academy Task Force and secured almost $24,000 in pledges and donations with hopes that they could restore the building on the existing site.

“This is about preserving the history of our town for generations to come,” Crystal Lake Historic Preservation Commissioner Ana Freund said.

Multiple residents mailed letter to the city, and a few spoke in support of landmarking during Tuesday’s meeting.

Moving the building is a last resort for the task force, as the costly maneuver could damage the building’s cobblestone foundation and lose some of the brickwork.

The group estimates that it will need to raise between $250,000 and $500,000 to obtain a site and move the building.

Council member Ian Philpot tried to landmark the building as is with no conditions, but that effort failed in a 5-2 vote.

If demolished, the church plans to leave the area as green space, Zaucha said.

Kenney said she will ask donors if they would like to use the money for another purpose or return it.

In a letter to the city, the task force asked to scan and take pictures of the building before demolition and salvage any materials possible, such as the fixtures, cobblestone and bricks. But with the building being filled with asbestos, taking items could be another challenge, Zaucha said.

Anyone interested in helping with the relocation or raising funds can reach out to the task force at crystallakeacademytaskforce@gmail.com or visit gofundme.com/f/save-the-crystal-lake-academy-building-donate-today.