BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE FOR COMMITTEE:

Located adjacent to the Grosse Point Lighthouse and Lighthouse Beach in the northeast corner of Evanston, the Harley Clarke Mansion is a historic English Tudor mansion. The City of Evanston purchased the property from the Sigma Chi National Fraternity in 1965 as part of the development of the Lighthouse Landing Park. The mansion was originally a private residence, but had served as the fraternity’s national headquarters from 1951-1965.  The City of Evanston leased the building to the Evanston Arts Center from the late 1960s until 2015, when the property began to require more maintenance than either the City or the Art center was able to fund. The Evanston Arts Center moved to a new location on Central Street and the property was closed.

Pursuant to Council approval, the property was opened to the public for a one-day tour on August 3, 2016. On September 12, 2016, Council approved a proposal for the City to own and operate the facility, and to allocate $250,000 for immediate improvements. The property will be used for City-sponsored summer recreation activities in 2017.  The Parks and Recreation Board, Lighthouse Landing Complex Committee and City staff will develop a plan for future operation of the property beginning 2018.  Upon City Council approval, the property would be regularly open to the public beginning 2018.

The Harley Clarke Planning Committee was formed in November of 2016, and will meet to discuss the next steps and planning for the Harley Clarke Mansion.

MEMBERS:

Alderman Eleanor Revelle

John Bryan

David Campbell

Emily DeStefano

Pam Elesh

Hector Garcia

Staff: Erika Storlie, Assistant City Manager

Agendas and Minutes

History of the Harley Clarke Citizens' Committee (Inactive)

The mission of the Harley Clarke Citizens’ Committee was to identify, develop, and evaluate the viability of options in the context of the criteria developed by the Committee. The Committee unanimously agreed not to consider any option in which the beach or access to the beach does not remain publicly owned.

Additionally, the Committee solicited public input in four ways – (1) through a City established email harleyclarkemansion@cityofevanston.org, (2) 30 minutes of public comment at the beginning the second meeting, held on February 26, 2015, (3) a public comment period at the end of all subsequent meetings in which options are evaluated, and (4) through a public workshop held on Monday, May 18, 2015. The Committee made its final report to City Council on June 8, 2015; City Council will take up the issue in September. The Harley Clarke Committee's report to City Council can be viewed below.

• Harley Clarke Committee Survey (spreadsheet)
• Harley Clarke Committee Survey (summary)
• Workshop flip charts summary
• Committee Members' Statements:
  • Linda Damashek
  • Dawn Davis-Zeinemann
  • Amina DiMarco
  • Steve Hagerty
  • Garry Shumaker
• SEA Letter
• CSNA Letter
• Evanston Chamber of Commerce Survey
• Tawani Proposal 2013 Summary
• List of options identified by the committee
• Evaluation Criteria

Further History of Harley Clarke Mansion