Early Life and Education
Downers Grove Historian of the Year for 2025, Ken Lerner, was born in 1956 and raised in Park Forest, Illinois. His father worked as a chemist at Argonne National Laboratory, while his mother was a full-time homemaker who later returned to work as a medical technician to help fund the college education of Ken and his two sisters.
From an early age, Ken knew he wanted to pursue a career in law. After earning undergraduate degrees in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Illinois, he went on to receive his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
A Career at Argonne
Following law school, Ken returned to the Chicago area and secured an internship at Argonne National Laboratory, researching legal issues related to energy and environmental planning. That opportunity led to a long and varied career at Argonne, where he worked in areas including environmental regulation, utility regulation, emergency preparedness for technological hazards, critical infrastructure protection, and homeland security.
Making a Home in Downers Grove
Ken and his wife, Aida Novickas, first lived in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood before building a home in Mokena in 1985. In 1995, they moved to Downers Grove with their two young children.
Their arrival coincided with a period of major redevelopment in downtown Downers Grove. Infrastructure improvements and demand for high-end housing were transforming the community. Many vintage homes were being demolished to make way for new construction, while natural areas were increasingly targeted for redevelopment.
Ken’s appreciation for historic architecture began during his years at the University of Illinois in Urbana, where he lived in elegant older homes converted into student housing. At the same time, his work at Argonne deepened his awareness of the impact commercial and industrial development could have on natural areas. Those experiences would shape his future volunteer efforts in Downers Grove.
Early Community Involvement
In the early 2000s, Ken began dedicating time to local advocacy efforts. One of his first interests was Downers Grove Watch, a group focused on informing residents about quality-of-life concerns associated with redevelopment.
He soon became involved with the Pierce Downer Heritage Alliance (PDHA), an organization originally established in the mid-1980s to help save Lyman Woods, now one of Downers Grove’s most important natural and educational resources. Over time, PDHA expanded its mission to advocate for environmental preservation and education throughout the village.
Ken joined PDHA in 2004, became a director in 2005, and served as chair from 2010 to 2025.
Leadership in Environmental Preservation
During Ken’s leadership, PDHA launched and supported numerous initiatives aimed at increasing public awareness about the importance of preserving Downers Grove’s natural heritage. His collaborative leadership style, combined with the dedication of PDHA volunteers, helped the organization make a lasting impact on the community.
Among the group’s many accomplishments were:
- Partnering with the Village to identify opportunities for additional parkway trees
- Offering educational programs for all ages, including lectures, guided walks, workshops, and preservation seminars
- Advocating for the incorporation of natural areas into public improvement projects, including Prince Pond and the Belmont Road cloverleaf
- Encouraging environmentally sustainable policies within the Village and Park District
Ken has expressed particular pride in PDHA and the Village receiving the Chicago Region Trees Initiative’s “Best Community Advocate” award in 2015.
PDHA also raised substantial funding for the Wonder Woods program (formerly Little Sprouts), a partnership between the Downers Grove Park District and District 58. The program provides first through third grade students with immersive field trip experiences at Lyman Woods designed to foster an appreciation for the natural environment.
Expanding into Historic Preservation
Historic preservation gradually became an important part of PDHA’s mission as members recognized that the loss of historic architecture posed many of the same concerns as the loss of natural areas.
PDHA became an early advocate for preserving the 1846 Blodgett House, the former home of Israel and Avis Blodgett, believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad. Following its successful relocation and restoration, the house was added to the National Park Service’s “Network to Freedom” list and now serves as an educational resource for the Downers Grove Park District.
Ken’s leadership helped guide PDHA into this expanded preservation role. In 2013, the organization volunteered to assist with the Village’s Architectural and Historical Survey, helping catalog homes that significantly contribute to Downers Grove’s architectural heritage.
The Edwards House and the Creation of FOEH
Around the same time, PDHA was approached by a grassroots group working to prevent the demolition of 942 Maple Avenue, commonly known as the Edwards House. The effort sought either landmark status or relocation for the home, which had become threatened by redevelopment.
Although the campaign to save the house ultimately was unsuccessful, it sparked a renewed preservation movement within the community.
With support from Ken and others, the advocacy effort evolved into the Friends of the Edwards House (FOEH), a nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation in Downers Grove. FOEH has promoted participation in the Village’s landmarking program through public presentations, landmarked home tours, historic home calendars, and assistance to homeowners seeking landmark designation.
In 2017, FOEH received the prestigious Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Project of the Year Award for Advocacy. Ken continues to serve as Secretary of the organization.
Strengthening Historic Preservation in Downers Grove
The public attention surrounding the Edwards House effort also prompted significant changes within Village government. Downers Grove revised its Historic Preservation Ordinance and revived the Historic Preservation and Design Review Board.
Ken was appointed to the Board in 2016 and served two terms.
The combination of a more user-friendly preservation ordinance and FOEH’s advocacy efforts dramatically expanded the Village’s preservation program. At the time those efforts began, only two properties in Downers Grove had landmark status. Since then, more than 30 additional historic properties have been landmarked.
Sustainability and Environmental Advocacy
Ken also continued to guide PDHA’s environmental advocacy efforts through collaboration with local government and other community organizations.
PDHA supported Village grant applications for projects including the creation of natural areas at Barth Pond and the Belmont underpass cloverleaf. In 2023, PDHA partnered with Greener Grove to encourage the Village to join the Greenest Region Compact at the highest level of commitment. Communities participating in the Compact agree to pursue 49 goals focused on environmental sustainability.
As a result, the Village joined the Compact, hired a Sustainability Coordinator, and revitalized the Environmental Concerns Commission with a broader sustainability mission. Ken was appointed to the Commission in 2024.
Looking Toward the Future
PDHA was recently dissolved, passing its assets and many of its goals to organizations including Greener Grove in Downers Grove, the Chicago Region Trees Initiative, and the Conservation Foundation.
When asked about future opportunities for Downers Grove, Ken said he still hopes to see Lyman Woods receive State Nature Preserve designation. He also supports the adoption of a comprehensive Tree Ordinance to further protect and expand the Village’s award-winning tree canopy.
In the area of historic preservation, he hopes Downers Grove will eventually establish Historic Districts, whether focused on neighborhoods such as Prince Pond or on architectural styles like Four-Squares and Kit Homes.
As Ken observed, “Homeowners now have all the tools they need to protect their historic homes from demolition.”
