Wilmette homeowners in older neighborhoods got their first formal look at the village's draft Historic Preservation Plan on Wednesday, June 24, when the village hosted a public open house at 6 p.m. in the Training Room at Village Hall, 1200 Wilmette Avenue.

It is Wilmette's first-ever preservation plan. Roughly 5,380 single-family homes in the village predate 1960, according to Housing Commission data presented in January 2026.

The village has not published a summary of the session or disclosed how many residents attended.

What the draft proposes

Community Development Director Emily Egan, who joined the village in March 2025, launched the plan's drafting process as a major objective of the 2024 Ready Set Wilmette Comprehensive Plan. A revised draft was posted June 19, giving residents five days to review before the open house.

Beyond traditional landmark protections, the draft addresses equity, housing, climate resilience, economic development, and the character of non-designated buildings and neighborhoods, according to the project website. The plan's action items are described as "pathways" rather than binding mandates. The Village Board will direct implementation as part of its consideration for adoption.

Context

Wilmette's pre-1940 homes surged in median value from $822,700 in 2013 to $1,032,800 in 2023, a 25% increase that makes older properties attractive teardown targets, per Housing Commission data. The village's homeowner vacancy rate stood at 0.4% in 2023, well below the 1–2% considered healthy. Former Community Development Director John Adler, who retired in spring 2025 after 32 years, saved 30 homes from demolition through local landmarking during his tenure.

What comes next

The village's project timeline anticipates plan adoption in fall 2026. A second "Community Celebration Open House" is planned for that season, though no date has been set. No Village Board vote date has been announced.

Residents can review the draft and submit comments at WilmettePreservationPlan.com.