Evanston's Preservation Commission voted 8-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to approve exterior renovation plans for the Harley Clarke Mansion. The vote advances the $30 million project to convert the long-vacant lakefront property into an event venue.

The unanimous vote grants a Certificate of Appropriateness for Celadon Partners' planned exterior changes to the mansion at 2603 Sheridan Rd., the Evanston Roundtable reported. The approval came without binding conditions, though commissioners offered suggestions on two design elements: a brick roof overrun to house a new elevator and the replacement of some wood-frame screen windows with glass panes in painted aluminum framing.

Commissioners chose not to impose conditions because the design had already been vetted by federal and state agencies overseeing historic tax credits. Requiring changes could have jeopardized those credits.

Celadon CEO Scott Henry said the tax credits are nearly secured. "Between that tax credit equity, some of my own money and private debt, we have all of the funds that we need to build this $30 million redevelopment," Henry told the commission.

Presenting alongside Henry were Suzi Reinhold, founding principal of Revive Architecture and a former Preservation Commission member; Joel Baldin, principal at RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture; and Delia Conache, managing principal of Assemble Design Workshop, according to a Celadon statement. Reinhold is leading the exterior restoration.

The team said most elements of the mansion and grounds would be restored to their original design, down to reusing existing clay roof tiles and correcting poor brick repairs at the council ring fire pit in the east yard. The project also includes restoration of the back lawn, Caldwell steps and other elements of the Jens Jensen landscape, in collaboration with the nonprofit Jens Jensen Gardens in Evanston, the company said.

Architect Richard Powers designed the 37,700-square-foot mansion in 1927 for utilities magnate Harley Lyman Clarke. The three-story English Tudor and French Eclectic structure features a red Ludowici tile roof, six chimneys and a glass conservatory. Jensen and his protégé Alfred Caldwell designed the surrounding gardens in 1928.

The project would transform the mansion into a wedding and event venue with a restaurant, ice cream parlor, coffee shop and a speakeasy bar in the basement, according to Evanston Now. Plans also cover the coach house and surrounding grounds. Celadon has dropped earlier plans for a boutique hotel on the upper floors. Off-street parking would be added along the south side driveway.

The mansion has sat vacant since the Evanston Art Center left in 2015. City officials had sought a new tenant since 2011, and voters backed an advisory referendum calling for the building's preservation in 2018 after the city considered demolishing it. City Council selected Celadon in October 2024 and approved a 40-year lease in March 2025.

The approval marks the start of the third and final stage of zoning and preservation review. The Land Use Commission is scheduled to vote on the project in early December before City Council considers final approval in early 2027, the Roundtable reported. Celadon is targeting March 2027 to begin construction, coinciding with the mansion's 100th anniversary. Work is expected to take about 12 months.

While approvals proceed, Celadon said it plans to host events on the mansion grounds through fall, including a coffee stand on the east lawn and a beer garden on the west lawn with live music on weekends.