Is the friendly village losing its country charm?

While it seems wrong to say there could be any upsides to the economic recession the country is currently going through, you could potentially make the case for one.

Here in Huntley, it seemingly stalled the nearly constant development the village had seen in the years preceding. That in part slowed down the fears that Huntley was growing at the expense of losing its quaint charm in favor of big-box convenience.

Now, with new development approved along Route 47 that could possibly bring Jimmy John’s, Rookies, and Starbucks to town, the winds of change are blowing through the cornfields again.

Of course, those new kids coming to the block aren’t the only activity the village has seen in recent months. The I-90 interchange project at Route 47 seems poised to bring new interest to the once sleepy village.

But development is a two-sided coin. For every person that considers Walmart an eyesore, there are those who now question how they lived without it. For everyone who laments road widening and the delays that go with it, there are those who eagerly anticipate being able to zoom across town when the work is done.

It’s the argument of a slow-paced, small-world type of life versus a modern, convenient, and globalized one. But that’s not the issue that I want to discuss, because I’m not entirely sure how I feel about all the growth Huntley has seen.

The real issue for me is not whether adding new development to Huntley takes away its old-fashioned charm; it’s that when the landscape is permanently changed, the village is taken further from its roots.

A recent story posted on Huntley’s branch of the news website Patch really brought this matter to my attention. In it, 22-year-old Huntley historian Jake Marino discusses his concern that Huntley has been losing the buildings and spaces that played roles in its past.

The recent purchase of the property at 11801 Main St., known as the Sawyer-Kelley building, by the village of Huntley is a perfect example of Marino’s and other residents’ worst fears.

Though the village has yet to formally announce what it will do with the property, many, including Marino, believe it may be taken down in the future in advance of a newer building to be erected in its place.

The funny thing about the Sawyer-Kelley building is that despite its stark white, nondescript appearance, it houses quite a bit of history.

I’ll admit that when I first realized which building was at 11801 Main St., I wondered, “What’s the big deal?” The building looks fairly ordinary in downtown Huntley’s square, only distinguished by a (in my opinion, tacky) “CASH 4 GOLD” sign.

I didn’t know that W.G. Sawyer and John Kelly had also owned the Marlowe Feed building (torn down last year). I had no idea the pair also owned Star Manufacturing, known today as Otto Engineering, which has a very visible presence in Carpentersville.

It takes historians like Marino to keep that history alive, and I think historians prefer to discuss buildings that are still standing rather than try to examine what once was part of a community.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very much in favor of Huntley making improvements, including in its downtown area. But when local history is removed or put in limbo, the cost is too high.

I’m excited to see what develops if the village’s plan to invest in the downtown area through a TIF district goes through. I’d love to see downtown Huntley become a vibrant part of town.

Of course, any changes made with TIF money would take several years. I wonder what Huntley will look like by the time that money comes in.

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