Through the RHS/BAPA Historic Buildings Committee, Ridge Historical Society and Beverly Area Planning Association are working to save the historic Eugene S. Pike House, located on 91st Street in the Dan Ryan Woods, and to find a suitable and sustainable reuse of the house.
To that purpose, the Committee has been working with the assistance of Landmarks Illinois to create the Eugene S. Pike House Foundation and apply for 501 c 3 not for profit status. Creating the not for profit foundation will enable RHS and BAPA to engage community members and elected officials in efforts to work with the Forest Preserves District of Cook County (owner of the Pike house) to stabilize the house. Identify and secure a suitable resuse, and strategize ways to fund restoration.
Next steps include applying for and securing not for profit status for the Foundation, securing members for the foundation who represent fields such as tax law, construction and restoration trades, real estate, fund raising, not for profit organizations, and historic preservation, as well as interested members of the community.
Persons and community groups interested in learning more and getting involved can contact Debra Nemeth, Ridge Historical Society, dnemeth.rhs@gmail.com, or Grace Kuikman, Beverly Area Planning Association, gkuikman@bapa.org.
The new foundation will be committed to helping persons or groups who are seriously interested in submitting proposals for reuse of the Eugene S. Pike House throughout the RFEI process. The Forest Preserves District has extended the proposal deadline to March 31. See www.savethepikehouse.org for details.
