Hardy House

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:26 am

http://journaltimes.com/news/local/newl ... f887a.html

We toured the Hardy house yesterday. What a great house... and we are thankful to the new owner for his efforts and opening the house up. Fun stuff.

We toured several other houses of the same period. The contrast is startling.

Mark Hertzberg · Post by **Mark Hertzberg** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:16 pm

I'm glad you liked it. Where did you travel from? I was sorry to not be able to be there.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:45 pm

Chicago area

Funny... I had one of my kids with me. He was excited that there was a book about the house and he might get to meet the author. (You would have had J. K. Rowling status.) The malted milk balls at the church proved to be an excellent constellation prize.

Mark Hertzberg · Post by **Mark Hertzberg** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:50 pm

Come back and I'd be glad to meet him. We are flying back now from two weeks with our 2 year old granddaughter in New England. She won out over FLLW!

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:57 pm

I would have tried my best to get the gas meter out of sight.

Mark Hertzberg · Post by **Mark Hertzberg** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:52 pm

It was considered. Very costly. Had been hidden by bushes until a year ago.

Oak Park Jogger · Post by **Oak Park Jogger** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:14 pm

Doesn't the gas company want to replace old meters with the small plastic units that are attached to the side of the house? More accurate, less obtrusive.

LOVED seeing the house!!!!! And can hardly wait to see it next time when even more will be done!!! Thanks for opening it, and please keep the renovation photos coming!!!!!!

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:22 am

Under the street side of the house, there is a sizable utility (heating) space. Based on some old photos (from Mark's book), it looks like there was grating between the side walk and the side of the house. I assume this was for loading coal or turf or whatever.

Could this space be made livable? What is the ceiling height, etc?

Also, it is not clear from any drawings. There is a room under the deck on the lake side. Can this room be accessed from the main house or do you need to walk outside?

Thank you

Mark Hertzberg · Post by **Mark Hertzberg** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 4:19 pm

I am not sure when the grating was filled in. It led to a narrow hallway (which, if I recall correctly, Wright called the "heater room") which is big enough for washer, dryer, electric box, and the toilet that I am guessing was designated for the servant's use. It is not wide enough to be livable, by any means. There are now four floor-to-ceiling columns helping stabilize the Main Street side of the house.

"Also, it is not clear from any drawings. There is a room under the deck on the lake side. Can this room be accessed from the main house or do you need to walk outside?"
The plans for this "recreation room" were drawn up in 1941 and executed after the war. It is accessed from the house...it is adjacent to the original basement area, one level below the heater room. The original east face of the dining room terrace was a stucco wall. The terrace was likely demolished and rebuilt to make this room. The stucco wall was replaced by the five floor-to-ceiling windows, and the terrace was cantilevered 3.5 feet beyond the original plane of the stucco wall. (we finally figured out how it was done a year ago)

Reidy · Post by **Reidy** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:51 pm

A room in Tomek for a coal-burning furnace was a woodworking studio for the previous owners. Don't know what it is now.

It's about a foot below grade and has hardly any natural light.

Mark Hertzberg · Post by **Mark Hertzberg** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:38 pm

There is room in the basement, but not in this sub-basement heater room.