Should Evanston Sell the Harley-Clarke Mansion?

Evanston officials put the city-owned Harley-Clarke Mansion out for bid last fall, and now the city is negotiating a $1.2-million offer from Tawani Enterprises, Inc. 

The company owned by Col. James Pritzker has proposed restoring the historic lakefront property and turning it into a 58-room luxury hotel, with a budget of roughly $22 million. 

Nearly 800 people have signed a petition opposing the sale of the building, but Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl has said the city simply can't afford the upkeep on the 86-year-old property.

Commenters on Patch have been vocal about their opinions of the sale and the proposed hotel. Read on to see what your neighbors are saying, and tell us what you think in the comments.

"Why does a billionaire want to endeavor in a project that might make a few thousand dollars a year? B.S.!!" wrote Rob Sembrat, reacting to the $22 million budget from Tawani Enterprises.

Commenter Mrs. Smith, however, defended Pritzker.

"From what I understand, he is an historic architecture buff and perhaps a bit eccentric," she said. "Who else has the money to do such a restoration? Should we let it fall into complete disrepair? Then what will the city do with it?"

Yolanda Vanderlaan suggested that the city should ask for more money, and some guarantees about public access to the beach.

"If Pritzker can afford to sink 22M into this project, then why is the City willing to take so little for the property?" she wrote. "What legal guarantees does the City have in place to ensure that the beach and lakefront will remain public? Once this property is sold, Pritzker will be able to do pretty much whatever they want with it."

"It is great that Pritzker wants to restore the building," commented cporteous. "However, are the patrons of a luxury hotel going to share the beach with the locals?"

Commenter Todd Gage said the mansion is not worth the cost of renovation for most investors, let alone the city.

"The city cannot afford to fix Harley-Clarke," he wrote. "No individual in their right mind would buy it as a private residence, given the restoration cost and public exposure of a beach, driveway, parking lot and historic landmark within feet of your property."

Commenter Doris Brown suggested that the city should retain the property but turn it into a park.

"If Evanston can’t afford to maintain the mansion, then tear it down and keep the land as a park so the growing number of Evanstonians have somewhere to escape the City’s increasing density," she wrote. "There is not going to be new lakefront in Evanston so why is the City not protecting what we have and expanding public park land rather than taking it away."

Commenter Bell F., however, disagreed.

"Don't tear it down," she wrote. "Its an architectural gem and no one should consider that in a trillion billion years. Preserve and maintain - don't destroy please."