DOWN ON THE FARM

Switching the city for the suburbs, this couple has found their sweet spot.

It’s no secret that many people say “so long” to the city once they have children. But not everyone sets up stakes elsewhere because they’re tired of tripping over the toys scattered across the living room floor. Take Eric and Emily Gannon. Longtime Logan Square residents, they relocated to Barrington before they welcomed their two young ones. “Frankly, we didn’t know if kids were in our plans,” shares Eric, a principal at the Chicago office of the global architecture firm Gensler. But Emily—a veterinary internal medicine specialist for dogs and cats not only worked at BluePearl Specialty Hospital in Northfield—but boarded her horse in the northwest suburbs. And both were looking to create a home that was “uniquely ours.”

Drawn to the beauty and inviting physical spaciousness of Barrington, the Gannons felt fortunate to find a property that they could make their own. “We liked the idea that we could customize and masterplan a true homestead of sorts,” says Eric, “one that offered proximity to the city and a good life/work separation.” As an architect, he had no trouble seeing the potential of the house—built in 1968—that became their home. Through judicious demolition, he opened up the interiors, modernized the kitchen and bathrooms, and upped the storage situation by building cabinets and bookshelves. With a renovated barn, new chicken coop, and upgraded pasture, the couple now have a mini farm of sorts, complete with chickens and goats. “Most recently,” notes Eric, “we have been aiming to be more ecologically focused. We are in the midst of restoring the back portion of our property to native plantings and removing the invasive species. We added solar and a battery back-up system that serves as a generator and allows us to reduce our energy consumption during peak hours.”

At Genlser, Eric works on major projects for such clients as LinkedIn, Uber, and JPMorganChase, as well as restaurants and residential buildings in the city’s buzzing Fulton Market district. While Emily good-naturedly admits she “may be useless to friends and family for common ailments,” she can be a four-footed creature’s savior when it comes to addressing advanced conditions and chronic illnesses, from gastrointestinal issues to autoimmune disease. “My cases are mostly referred by general practitioners and local vets, as well as the emergency service within BluePearl Specialty Hospital,” says Emily, who deploys the full range of diagnostic tools—ultrasound, CT and endoscopy/bronchoscopy/cystoscopy. “In addition to being a diagnostic tool, endoscopy is frequently used to remove foreign bodies from pets’ stomachs,” she notes. “If your Doodle eats your sock, I’m your gal!”

Making a home for themselves Barrington has been a rich, satisfying experience for the couple. “We have an amazing community of friends that has grown significantly as we see more like-minded families moving into the area,” relates Eric. “And it’s been an incredible place for our children to grow up,” adds Emily. “They both attend Salem Methodist, which has been an unbelievably nurturing environment for them. And Canlan Sports has become a part of their lives, with soccer and gymnastics for our son.” A veteran equestrian who rides competitively with Old Barrington Farm, Emily has also gotten the whole family involved with the Riding Club of Barrington Hills.

Mom and Dad are having a good time, too. Eric has a band called Painted Canyon and several years ago, he and Emily began hosting a concert at their place. “We built a stage, coordinated a food truck, parked cars on the grass, got some kegs from local breweries, and had everybody out,” says Eric. “It has become a tradition and we keep adding features and have incorporated local musician friends to fill the stage and showcase their talents.”

“After  moving  here,” shares  Emily,  “I  learned that Eric’s twin brothers referred  to  their  childhood house as GHOL—Gannon House of Love. It was a joke and to continue the joke, we started referring to our place  as  GFOL—Gannon Farm of Love, so appropriately, the event is called GFOL-apalooza.”

“We are so fortunate to be able to have what we have here and are extremely grateful for the friendships and community we have found,” says Eric. “The park system and Forest Preserves afford us a deep appreciation of the beauty around us. We are taking it all in, engaging where we can, and evangelizing what a wonderful place we have found Barrington to be. What’s most amazing to us is the unique ways in which we see everyone living here. We have friends with horses, serious gardeners, even people blacksmithing in their garages. It’s wildly diverse here and like nothing else.”