Ken Lerner was raised in Park Forest, Illinois, by his father, a chemist at Argonne National Laboratory, and his mother, a full-time homemaker who later returned to medical technician work to assist with college education for Ken and his two sisters.
Ken always knew he wanted to go into law, so after completing his undergraduate degrees in Economics and Philosophy at the University of Illinois, he went on to complete his law degree at the University of Michigan Law School. After school, he moved back to the Chicago area and landed an internship at Argonne researching legal issues in energy and environmental planning. This led to a long career at Argonne working in diverse areas of environmental regulation, utility regulation, emergency preparedness for technological hazards, critical infrastructure protection, and homeland security.
Ken and his wife Aida Novickas initially lived in the Wrigleyville neighborhood in Chicago, built a house in Mokena in 1985, and moved with their two young children to Downers Grove in 1995.
Ken’s arrival in Downers Grove coincided with significant downtown redevelopment and updates in infrastructure. That time also saw a surge in demand for high-end housing. Many vintage homes were demolished in favor of new-builds, and several natural areas were being targeted for redevelopment. His appreciation for historic homes was triggered when he lived off-campus at the University of Illinois (Urbana) in elegant vintage homes converted for student use. Then his career focus at Argonne National Laboratory brought him in touch with the impacts of commercial and industrial development on natural areas. Both life experiences guided his future volunteer efforts, and in the early 2000’s, he was able to carve out some time to get involved.
Ken first became interested in the group Downers Grove Watch which focused on informing citizens about quality-of-life issues associated with redevelopment.
Then he got involved with Pierce Downer Heritage Alliance (PDHA), an organization established in the mid-1980’s to save Lyman Woods, now an important natural and educational resource in the NE corner of Downers Grove. PDHA continued to serve as an advocate for environmental preservation and education in Downers Grove. Ken joined the group in 2004, moved to a director position in 2005, and chaired the group from 2010-2025.
During Ken’s chairmanship, PDHA continued numerous initiatives to increase public awareness about the urgency of preserving our natural heritage. Ken’s collaborative approach and the dedication of the organization have made a difference. Lerner expressed his pride in the group and the Village for receiving recognition by the Chicago Region Trees Initiative in 2015, earning the “Best Community Advocate” award. The list of projects is extensive and includes: working with the Village to canvass neighborhoods for opportunities for more parkway trees; educational opportunities for all ages including talks, natural area walks, conservation workshops, and seminars by preservation experts; collaborating with local government to implement natural areas when renovating or restoring public areas (e.g. Prince Pond and the Belmont Road cloverleaf); and advocating for “greener” policies on the part of the Village and Park District. PDHA raised substantial funds for the Wonder Woods (formerly Little Sprouts) program, a partnership between the Park District and District 58 that creates a full-day field trip to Lyman Woods for 1st – 3rd graders to build an appreciation for our natural heritage.
Preservation of historic architecture became part of PDHA’s mission as the group realized they shared a concern for loss of this heritage. PDHA became an early advocate for preservation of the 1846 Blodgett House. This early residence of Israel and Avis Blodgett is believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad. Since its successful relocation and restoration, it has been entered on the National Park Service “Network to Freedom” list of stations on the Underground Railroad and serves as an educational resource for the Downers Grove Park District.
Ken’s leadership encouraged this new mission of PDHA. In 2013, PDHA volunteered to help with the Village’s Architectural + Historical Survey to catalog homes that significantly contribute to the architectural heritage of the community. Around the same time, PDHA was approached by a grass-roots group trying to prevent demolition of 942 Maple Avenue, known as the Edwards House. This movement sought to find a way to either landmark or relocate this structure which had become the target of redevelopment. PDHA became involved with this group and helped support its mission. Although the struggle to preserve the house was not successful, it had positive consequences. With assistance from Ken and others, the grass-roots advocacy group formed the Friends of the Edwards House (FOEH), a nonprofit organization which continues to work for historic preservation in Downers Grove. FOEH has promoted participation in the Village’s historic landmarking program through outreach activities such as public presentations, landmarked home tours, a historic homes calendar, and direct assistance to homeowners seeking to landmark. In 2017, the group won the prestigious Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Project of the Year Award for Advocacy. Lerner continues to serve as Secretary on the FOEH board.
In addition to forming FOEH, the effort to save the Edwards house and the attendant publicity and community support for historic preservation led the Village to revise its Historic Preservation ordinance and revive the Historic Preservation and Design Review Board. Ken was appointed to that Board in 2016 and served two terms.
With a more user-friendly preservation ordinance in place, and active advocacy by FOEH, the Village’s landmark preservation program has greatly expanded. When the group’s efforts began, only two properties had been landmarked. Since then, more than 30 additional historic properties have received landmark status.
Ken’s guidance also helped PDHA work collaboratively with the Village, encouraging more emphasis on sustainable practices and recommending policy changes that support environmental sustainability throughout the Village. PDHA provided letters of support that helped the Village secure grant funding for environmental projects, including the creation of natural areas at Barth Pond and the Belmont underpass cloverleaf. In 2023, PDHA worked with Greener Grove (another local advocacy group) to encourage the Village to join the “Greenest Region Compact” at the highest level of commitment. Villages in this Compact agree to adopt 49 high-level goals centered on improving environmental sustainability. The Village joined the Compact, hired a Sustainability Coordinator, and revitalized the Village’s Environmental Concerns Commission (ECC) with a broad charter to promote community-wide conservation and environmental sustainability. Ken was appointed to the ECC in 2024.
Recently, the PDHA organization was dissolved, passing along its assets and aspirations for the future to the work of three other groups: Greener Grove in Downers Grove, the Chicago Region Trees Initiative, and the Naperville-based Conservation Foundation.
When asked what future opportunities he would like to see explored, Ken stated, “I still hope for the day when Lyman Woods receives the State Nature Preservation Designation.” He also hopes the Village will adopt a broad Tree Ordinance to further protect and expand Downers Grove’s award-winning canopy. As for the protection of the Village’s historic homes, he hopes to someday see Historic Districts, whether historic neighborhoods like the Prince Pond area, or thematic groups of homes like 4-Squares or Kit Homes. He stated, “Homeowners now have all the tools they need to protect their historic homes from demolition.”
