Notable Frank Lloyd Wright home the latest to seek preservation incentives from village
Hinsdale's only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home is poised to get a financial boost from taxpayers to defray costs of renovating the historic residence.
At the Hinsdale Village Board meeting Nov. 7, trustees signaled their approval for a property tax rebate and a $10,000 matching grant to offset the cost of restoring and updating 121 S. County Line Road, the 1894-built Dutch Colonial known as the Bagley House.
During a first read of a resolution to enter into a preservation incentive agreement with the home's owners, Trustee Luke Stifflear, chair of the zoning and public safety committee, explained that the five-year property tax rebate under the deal could result in $13,000 in ceded village revenue. The $10,000 grant is the maximum allowed toward the $323,000 in eligible construction costs.
Stifflear directed his colleagues to a table in their board packets outlining the 10 properties either approved or being considered for grants since the incentive program was instituted last year, totaling $100,000. The village also waives fees for qualifying applications.
"In 2023, we forgave $13,467 (in fees). And in 2024, approximately $97,000," he reported. "So, meaningful numbers to the village.
"It's revenue that we're not going to take," he added.
Lukas Ruecker, who purchased the Bagley House in 2021 with his wife, Safina Uberoi, expressed appreciation for the village's consideration of their project. He said identifying suitable architects and understanding the scope of the work needed has taken several years.
"(The architects) spent a year researching the building itself to make sure we get it right," Ruecker told trustees. "I think you're making a wonderful investment in helping us restore this house."
In addition to conducting exterior alterations and restorative work to bring the existing house back to Wright's original design, the couple also plans to construct a rear addition and new detached garage. Ruecker said the expansion will not detract from the elevations.
"We needed to add additional living space because (removal of old, non-original additions) would have resulted in the reduction of about 2,000 square feet, and that is not something that can survive in Hinsdale," he said.
The incentive program was created to encourage homeowners to rehab significant older homes rather than tear them down. Village President Tom Cauley said he initially resisted the idea of using public funds for private preservation projects but has since come around to the program's value in protecting local architectural heritage.
"While we are spending village money, I think the return on our investment is a good one that justifies the expense," he said.
Ruecker credited Trustee Alexis Braden for her tenacious effort to save the house for helping compel the couple's intervention. Braden said learning more about the house and the life of its first occupant, pioneering social reformer Grace Bagley, has been gratifying.
"It's really fascinating what's been uncovered," Braden said.
Last month the village's historic preservation commission approved incentives within its purview for the project, namely alternative zoning regulations, a building permit fee waiver and expedited processing. The village board must sign off on matching grants and tax rebates. Trustees are expected to pass the resolution at their Nov. 19 board meeting.
Cauley recalled how he was out of town when the Bagley House came on the market and received emails from around the country concerned about its fate.
"I went and lit a candle in church, and Lukas showed up and bought the property," Cauley said. "He was a gift from God."
Ruecker estimated the work will be done by late 2026 or early 2027.
"With restorations like these, you never quite know," he said. "We want to take the house back to its original shape, the way Frank Lloyd Wright had designed it."
