April 2020 Month-in-Review Newsletter
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WATCH: "Chicago 7 Most Endangered" Overview
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2020 'Chicago 7 Most Endangered' Video Overview (3:17) Image Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Since 2003, the “Chicago 7 Most Endangered” has sounded the alarm on imminently threatened historic buildings in Chicago to mobilize the stakeholder support necessary to save them from demolition.
The 2020 Chicago 7 Most Endangered
- James R. Thompson Center/ State of Illinois Building
- Jackson Park, South Shore Cultural Center Grounds & Midway Plaisance
- Chicago Union Station Power House
- Chicago Town & Tennis Club /Unity Church
- Washington Park National Bank
- Central Manufacturing District, Pershing Road (CMD)
- Roseland’s Michigan Avenue Commercial District
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Now on Sale!
"Chicago 7 Most Endangered" Posters, Mugs & More!
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Preservation Chicago 2020 Chicago 7 Poster and Mug now on sale at the Preservation Chicago web store. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Previous years' “Chicago 7 Most Endangered” posters including Union Station Power House, Jackson Park, and Holy Family Church are also available. The posters are available in three sizes; 8x10, 16x20 and 24x36.
Additionally, we've begun to offer additional Chicago 7 swag including mugs and bags featuring the wonderful Chicago 7 artwork. Please let us know what you’d like to see offered, and we can work to make it happen.
Please note that between 30% and 40% of the sales price helps to support Preservation Chicago and our mission.
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WATCH: Preservation Chicago's 2020 "Chicago 7 Most Endangered" Unabridged Presentation
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Filled to Capacity Auditorium at the Preservation Chicago 2020 "Chicago 7 Most Endangered" announcement, February 26, 2020. Photo Credit: Serhii Chrucky
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2020 'Chicago 7 Most Endangered' Video Unabridged Recording (55:28) Image Credit: Preservation Chicago
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CHICAGO 7
- Chicago 7 Overview Video (3 minutes)
- Chicago 7 Posters and Swag Now on Sale!
- Chicago 7 Unabridged Presentation (55 minutes)
ADVOCACY
- THREATENED: Chicago Town and Tennis Club / Unity Church
- THREATENED: Preservation Chicago Releases Demolition Best Practice Guidelines In Response to Crawford Demolition Debacle
- THREATENED: Adaptive Reuse Options Offered for Lakeside Center at McCormick Place
- WIN: Preservation Chicago Supports African American Cultural Heritage Grant for Mt. Pisgah Church, Chicago's Most Recently Designated Chicago Landmark
- WIN: Ramova Theater Restoration Plan Receives City Council Approval and TIF Support
- THREATENED: Hollenbach Building to be Demolished for New Construction
- WIN: Resurrection Project Affordable Housing Plan Includes Renovation of Many Historic Buildings
- WIN: Kosciuszko Park to Receive $1.85M Renovation
- WIN: Long Vacant South Shore High School to be Used for Police and Fire Training Center
- WIN: Grammy-Winning Performer Kanye West Buys His Childhood Home to Prevent Demolition
- LOSS: Mercy Home Demolishes 221 S. Racine for a Vacant Lot
- THREATENED: The South Side Swedish Club Listed For Sale
- LOSS: 3033 West Fifth Avenue Lost to Fire
- THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay
- LOSS: Spotlight on Demolition
NEWS
- WATCH: How the Auditorium Changed Europe with Rolf Achilles and Rich Regan
- PRINT: Will 'The Ave' In Roseland Really Rise Again With City Hall Plan?
- WATCH: Ask Geoffrey - The Story Behind the Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium
- WATCH: A Virtual Tour of National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture in the Humboldt Park Stables.
- PRINT: City Council Unanimously Bans Horse-Drawn Carriages Starting Jan. 1
- PRINT: Serhii Chrucky Shoots the James R. Thompson Center for Preservation Chicago in Wonderful Machine
- PRINT: Home is Where the Art Deco Is: Modernist Design Around the Corner
- PRINT: A Chicago Couple Restores a Spacious Gothic Revival, Inside and Out in Preservation Magazine
- RADIO: What’s That Building? The Krause Music Store
- PRINT: Documenting the Past; A look at some of Chicago’s disappearing buildings in South Side Weekly
- PRINT: Independent Theaters Want You To Keep Going To The Movies on WBEZ Chicago
- PRINT: Proof that the "Greenest Building is the One Already Standing" Released in 2012 Report from National Trust for Historic Preservation
- PRINT: The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse
PETITIONS
- PETITION: Implosion Devastates Little Village During COVID-19 Pandemic
- PETITION: Save the Chicago Town & Tennis Club/Unity Church
SUPPORT
- Support Glessner House with Donation $25 or More & Receive Beautiful William Morris Face Mask Thank You Gift
- Support "Saving the Sacred" Film
- Minnekirken GoFundMe Campaign
- Raise the Roof! Fund The Forum! Campaign
EVENTS
- Preservation Chicago's "7 Most Endangered 2020" Bicycle Tour with Biketropolis Cancelled
- Chicago Architecture Center presents A Tale of Two Fairs
- Chicago Detours Hosts Free Virtual Tours During Corona Shut-In
- Docomomo US Calls for Nominations for 2020 Modernism in America Awards Due May 29, 2020
- Which are your favorite Neighborhood Buildings in Chicago?
LOST CHICAGO...BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
- Edgewater Beach Hotel by Marshall & Fox
SUPPORT
- Please Support Preservation Chicago!
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THREATENED: Clock Ticking for Chicago Town and Tennis Club! (Chicago 7 2020)
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Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Dan Paterno / Paterno Group
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Preservation Chicago has been working with urgency to find a win-win solution for Chicago Town and Tennis Club. The 90-day demolition delay extension provides slightly more time to arrive at a workable solution. The current pandemic has made this already challenging preservation effort even more challenging and we request that the demolition delay be extended beyond June 17, 2020.
The cost of moving the Chicago Town and Tennis Club building onto Emmerson Park would be cost approximately $1.5M. Preservation Chicago urges the Chicago Park District to commit the necessary funds to save this endangered building from demolition by moving it into the adjacent park and making it the new Emmerson Park Fieldhouse.
"The City of Chicago and Misericordia Homes have come to an agreement that would allow private developers and other interested parties to take ownership of the historic structure at 1925 W. Thome St. in Chicago’s West Ridge community area and move it to a suitable new location.
"The former Chicago Town and Tennis Club is a Tudor Revival-style building dating to the 1920s. Misecordia applied for a demolition permit for the structure in late December 2019, which triggered a 90-day review period by the Department of Planning and Development’s historic preservation staff because the building is rated Orange in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey. The organization, which provides services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, plans to use the site to expand its campus.
"An option would be to physically move the historic Chicago Town & Tennis Club building from its current location approximately 300 feet due south across the parking lot into Emmerson Park. Initially, this idea seemed the least plausible due to cost, but after Preservation Chicago received multiple competitive bids for the cost of building moving that were much lower than expected, it might be the most compelling alternative.
"Although more logistically complicated, moving the historic building into the park would provide a substantial benefit to both Misericordia and the wider West Ridge community. It would save a first-class historic building and provide Misericordia with a clear site to allow more flexibility in their development site plan. Additionally, the estimated $250,000 cost of demolition would be avoided. Perhaps these savings could be used to offset a portion of the cost to move the historic building.
"Preservation Chicago has received bids from two well-established, large-scale building moving firms. Both bids are similar in size and scope. They indicate the cost to move the building into Emmerson Park to be approximately $550,000. To prepare the foundation to receive the building would likely cost an additional $550,000. Additional miscellaneous repairs, adding an elevator, and bringing the building into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act are estimated at $400,000. So for approximately $1.5 million, the Chicago Park District could own a historic building that would serve as a magnificent new fieldhouse.
"Chicago Park District fieldhouses often cost $20 million or more to build new. If Misericordia pledged the $250,000 of budgeted demolition funds towards costs of moving the historic building, the difference could be paid for by the Chicago Park District, TIF funding, or private philanthropy. Given this extraordinary opportunity, it is likely that the funds would be forthcoming. For perspective, the Chicago Park District is currently spending $15 million to renovate historic Clarendon Park Fieldhouse and $1.5 million in TIF funding to upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning at the Revere Park Fieldhouse. Preservation Chicago is already working with foundations and individuals potentially interested in providing funds necessary to underwrite the cost of moving the building.
"The Chicago Park District already runs a robust business of renting out event spaces in historic park district buildings throughout Chicago for weddings and other celebrations. It could easily add the Chicago Town & Tennis Club to its list of offerings. This would be an amenity for the wider Chicago community and one which generates significant income for the Chicago Park District to support ongoing operations. Other than the need to provide elevator ADA access to the second floor, the historic building is in good condition. This use could be quickly implemented as it has been successfully hosting events and celebrations for decades as Unity Church.
"Preservation Chicago recognizes the demand for Misericordia's extraordinary housing and services programs and strongly supports this noble and important work. These recommendations are intended to preserve and honor Chicago's historic built environment and landmark-quality buildings, while simultaneously supporting the construction of new housing residential units for the developmentally disabled at Misericordia’s West Ridge Campus.
"We hope that all stakeholders will engage in a robust and fruitful conversation and that together we can find a win-win solution that meets that needs of all stakeholders."(Preservation Chicago 2020 "Chicago 7 Most Endangered" Write Up)
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THREATENED: Preservation Chicago Releases Demolition Best Practice Guidelines In Response to Crawford Demolition Debacle
(Chicago 7 2014 & 2019)
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Toxic Demolition Dust Cloud in Pilsen following Crawford Demolition Implosion. Photo Credit: Maclovio / Instagram@Macnifying_glass
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Chicago’s demolition regulations are weak and rarely enforced. The outrage over the Crawford Power Station demolition debacle must result in city-wide reforms to better protect all Chicagoans. Irresponsible demolition contractors must never again be allowed to endanger the health of Chicagoans.
Little Village residents and Chicagoans were horrified when the Little Village neighborhood was engulfed in a cloud of demolition dust for approximately 30 minutes on April 11, 2020 caused by Hilco and its demolition contractors’ grossly negligent implosion of a tower at the Crawford Power Station. Preservation Chicago supports the Little Village community and City of Chicago in demanding a comprehensive investigation and holding Hilco fully accountable.
“We stand in solidarity with Little Village neighbors and the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization in their demands to protect the community,” said Ward Miller, Preservation Chicago Executive Director, “It’s clear that the City’s environmental oversight and permitting process is not rigorous enough to protect Chicago residents.”
The demolition of homes and buildings across Chicago expose Chicagoans daily to a constant source of dangerous airborne particulate pollution, including high levels of lead and other heavy metals.
“Chicago has one of the worst blood lead levels in the country,” said David E. Jacobs, Chief Scientist at the National Center for Healthy Housing which conducted a study in 2013. “Nationwide, we know that half a million children have elevated blood lead levels, so that’s an epidemic in anybody’s book. There needs to be more done.” (WBEZ, 1/7/18)
If Chicago’s leadership chooses to take action, Portland, Oregon’s innovative 2018 demolition ordinance can serve as a model. Guided by science and facts, these demolition best practices have proven to successfully reduce asbestos and lead-based paint exposure in residential demolitions.
Preservation Chicago calls on Mayor Lightfoot and the Chicago City Council to take immediate actions to implement demolition best practices to improve safety, enforcement and transparency – for all demolition applications.
- Increase Safety by preventing release of airborne demolition dust
- Wetting procedures must be implemented with high capacity water misting equipment sufficient in volume and force to prohibit airborne dust from leaving the site.
- No demolition when wind speeds exceed 25 mph.
- Increase Enforcement, verification, fines and fees
- Increase number of field inspectors and frequency of inspections.
- b. Require use of air quality and wind speed monitoring devices.
- c. Increased fines for violations; 1st offense $5,000; 2nd offense $10,000; 3rd offense $15,000.
- d. Increase demolition fees to generate significant new source of funding for enforcement. Average current demolition permit fee is approximately $300. Preservation Chicago proposes a demolition permit fee that is the 3 times the property’s most recent annual tax bill.
- Increase Transparency
- Aldermanic approval and community oversight prior to demolition permit issuance.
- Public notice by certified mail and door hangers required for every residence or business within 500 feet of property at least 30 days prior to demolition commencing.
- Internet posting of all demolition applications in user-friendly, searchable format with all relevant information and contact information included.
- No demolition permits should be released on the same day as the demolition permit application and without following the steps outlined above.
“Communities benefit from sound practices that protect it environmentally, historically and culturally,” said Ward Miller. “It is time we make sure that future decisions are aligned with the community’s needs and with the people of Chicago.”
When Crawford Station was built in 1926, it was considered an engineering wonder of the world. It was designed by one of Chicago's most respected architectural firms Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, who also designed Chicago Union Station, Soldier Field, Field Museum, Merchandise Mart, Shedd Aquarium and Chicago’s Main Post Office.
The $19.7 million of public funds allocated to the redevelopment of the Crawford site should be reallocated to a responsible, community-oriented developer to adaptively reuse Crawford's Turbine Hall, which is still standing. Crawford's Turbine Hall should be converted to a use that meets the needs of the community.
The increased pollution from hundreds of idling diesel trucks at the proposed 1-million-square-foot truck distribution facility will have a powerfully negative health impact on the community, and it should not be allowed to move forward.
Crawford Power Station was a Preservation Chicago Most Endangered in 2014 and 2019. Fisk Power Station in Pilsen was a Preservation Chicago Most Endangered in 2014. Fisk Power Station was purchased by Hilco in 2019. Immediate steps must be taken to prevent Hilco from demolishing Fisk Power Station.
Research Study and Case Study Models:
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Portion of Turbine Hall at Crawford Power Station Still Standing on April 16, 2020. Photo Credit: Ward Miller
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THREATENED: Adaptive Reuse Options Suggested for Lakeside Center at McCormick Place
(Chicago 7 2016)
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Lakeside Center at McCormick Place by C.F. Murphy and architect Gene Summers in 1971. Photo Credit: ChicagoArchitecture.org
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Lakeside Center at McCormick Place by C.F. Murphy and architect Gene Summers in 1971. Photo Credit: Lee Bey
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Lakeside Center at McCormick Place by C.F. Murphy and architect Gene Summers in 1971. Photo Credit: Lee Bey
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Nationaal Militair Museum, Vliegbasis Soesterberg, Netherlands, by Architect Bruno Ghils in 2014. Photo Credit: Jeroen P.M. Meijer / flickr
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Nationaal Militair Museum, Vliegbasis Soesterberg, Netherlands, by Architect Bruno Ghils in 2014. Photo Credit: Jeroen P.M. Meijer / flickr
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Nationaal Militair Museum, Vliegbasis Soesterberg, Netherlands, by Architect Bruno Ghils in 2014. Photo Credit: Ranko Veuger / flickr
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With remarkable speed in April 2020, McCormick Place was converted into a temporary 1,750-bed facility for coronavirus patients. This was noble use was part of the city-wide campaign to protect Chicagoans against the coronavirus. The change from a convention use to medical use is notable, but the shift in focus from visitors to locals is equally significant. Perhaps the shift for McCormick Place to begin to serve Chicagoans is a foreshadowing of a better future use of Lakeside Center at McCormick Place which could focus on the needs, desires and quality-of-life of Chicagoans.
McCormick Place is a widely recognized, massive convention complex that many Chicagoans know but few Chicagoans ever visit. Lakeside Center at McCormick Place is located in an incredibly prime location on the Lake Michigan shore, specifically on the grounds of the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair on a promontory of land the stretches into the lake towards Northerly Island. From this point during the fair, a curving pedestrian bridge crossed the narrow mouth to the harbor and provided some of the most extraordinary views of the Chicago skyline. Called the Swift Bridge, it also included an integrated orchestra Swift Band Shell to allow Chicagoans to enjoy live music accompanied by summer lake breezes and great skyline views. In the summer of 1934, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra presented 125 concerts at the Swift Bridge and Band Shell.
Lakeside Center is the oldest building at McCormick Place and for years there have been rumblings from McCormick Place about plans to demolish it, and replace it with a new building. If Lakeside Center is functionally obsolete as a convention center, then the historic building and the lakefront land it sits on should be returned to the citizens of Chicago. The enormous interior spans and glass walls overlooking the lake make the building an ideal candidate for adaptive reuse for a people-centric use such as a flagship Chicago Park District Fieldhouse.
In July 2019, with almost no discussion, the Illinois State Senate approved an end-of-session bill that would allow the demolition of Lakeside Center at McCormick Place and the imposition of an expansive new $600 million tax on bars and restaurants across dozens of Chicago neighborhoods. A flurry of media attention and social media outrage brought this issue to light. Fortunately, Mayor Lori Lightfoot quickly released a statement of opposition to the proposal prior to the bill being taken up by the Illinois House of Representatives the following day where it was expected to pass. Exposed to light, the bill was hastily withdrawn. Despite the departure of Lori Healey as CEO of the
Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority in September 2019, it’s likely that plans to demolish Lakeside Center will surface again in the future.
The loss of Lakeside Center at McCormick Place, situated at 23
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Street and the lakefront, would be tragic for Chicago. Lakeside Center is an extraordinary building by architecture firm C.F. Murphy and designers Gene Summers and Helmut Jahn, both acclaimed students of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe at Illinois Institute of Technology. In Lakeside Center they took Mies van der Rohe’s design principles and the numerous published design studies by Mies, his office, and his graduate students and applied them on an enormous, convention hall scale. The construction of Lakeside Center was an amazing feat and is on par with the City’s other superstructures of that period, specifically the John Hancock Building and the Sears Tower. However, unlike the vertically oriented Hancock, Sears and Standard Oil Buildings, Lakeside Center is a mammoth horizontal long-span structure. The result was a monumental architectural achievement for Chicago which helped to reinforce Chicago’s title of convention city with the largest roof, convention hall and space-frame structure in the world.
Lakeside Center replaced an earlier McCormick Place convention building which was destroyed by a fire in 1967. This hastily constructed, windowless exposition hall dating from 1960 was dubbed the “mistake on the lake.”
The current modernist glass and steel Lakeside Center building was designed for the site and construction grand opening was held on January 3, 1971. The building has been featured in the book "Chicago's Famous Buildings" in multiple editions by various editors and scholars over the past 50 years since its construction.
In addition to the building’s architectural significance, it presents a wonderful opportunity for a dynamic adaptive reuse that would return this prominent lakefront location to use by Chicagoans. This building could be an incredible museum site.
Additionally, the Lakeside Center could be easily retrofitted into a flagship Chicago Park District Fieldhouse and Mid-South Cultural Center to include the Arie Crown Theater for cultural and community events. A cultural use of Lakeside Center would be anchored by the Arie Crown Theater for cultural and community events. The Arie Crown Theater is one of the largest theaters in Chicago with seating for 4,250. Only the long-shuttered Uptown Theatre in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood has a larger seating capacity. Additionally, the Arie Crown Theater has been well maintained with a significant renovation in 1997 which reduced the seating capacity, rebuilt the stage and improved the acoustics.
If Lakeside Center was retrofitted into a flagship Chicago Park District Fieldhouse, the cavernous column-free space could accommodate a wide variety of first-rate facilities all under one roof. The upper levels of the center could be used for indoor tennis courts, running track, yoga, Zumba and weights, and other recreational uses overlooking Lake Michigan, harbors and parks. The expansive lower level halls could be used for an Olympic-sized swimming pool, basketball courts, climbing walls, squash courts, roller rink, roller derby track and perhaps even a bike velodrome track. The massive rooftop could be greened and activated with a jogging path, tennis courts, and basketball courts. The turf at Soldier’s Field covers 1.5 acres while the rooftop of Lakeside Center covers 18.8 acres
A café located at the northeast corner of the Lakeside Center rooftop would have such incredible, panoramic views of the city and lakefront that it would likely become a must-see destination for locals and tourists alike. The building’s enormous terrace overlooking Lake Michigan is ideal for activation such as Chicago Summer Dance, music festivals and other outdoor activities under the broad overhang. The historic Humboldt Park Boat House is a great example of the type of successful programming that could activate and enliven this extraordinary and underutilized community resource.
Located along Chicago's Lakefront Trail, the Mid-South Cultural Center and Field House would be easily accessible as a central destination to joggers, bikers, rollerbladers and others from Ardmore Street on the North Side to 71st Street on the South Side.
Additionally, Lakeside Center is directly across a narrow channel from Northerly Island Park. Despite its large size and incredible location on a peninsula, this 120-acre park is difficult to access and suffers from low attendance and poor maintenance. A bike and pedestrian bridge could be built directly from Lakeside Center’s expansive terrace to increase access to this neglected Northerly Island Park.
The idea of demolishing a first-class building of great architectural and historical note would be a huge embarrassment for the city and another drain on Chicago’s taxpayers to fund another and bigger windowless convention center on Chicago’s Lakefront. Preservation Chicago applauds Mayor Lightfoot’s decision to slow down the process and encourages McPier, the Chicago Park District and other decision-makers to find a creative way to better integrate the convention center into the daily fabric of Chicago. The Mid-South Cultural Center and Field House would accomplish this.
Additional Reading
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Swift Bridge and Band Shell, Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago, 1934. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection
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Aerial Photograph of Swift Bridge and Band Shell, Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago, 1934. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection
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Lakeside Center at McCormick Place with Northerly Island across narrow mouth to Burnham Harbor. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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Bridges at Chicago's Century of Progress World's Fair in 1933 and 1934. Postcard Credit: Chuckman Postcard Collection
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View from Lakeside Center Rooftop at McCormick Place. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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WIN: Preservation Chicago Supports
African American Cultural Heritage Grant for Mt. Pisgah Church, Chicago's Most Recently Designated Chicago Landmark
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Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church/Sinai Temple, Alfred Samuel Alschuler, 1912, 4600 S. Martin Luther King Drive. Photo Credit: City of Chicago Landmarks Division
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Preservation Chicago strongly supported Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church throughout the progress of becoming a Designated Chicago Landmark. The final approval by Chicago City Council occured on April 24, 2020. Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church/Sinai Temple, located at 4600 S. Martin Luther King Drive in Bronzeville, was designed by Alfred Samuel Alschuler in 1912.
"'We very much support this designation as Chicago landmark. This is an amazing building that’s elegant and monumental with finely crafted materials and it really anchors this corner at 46th and King Drive,' said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago. 'Much of Alschuler’s original architecture remains, including the six Ionic limestone columns framing the main entrance and a four-story sanctuary with a barrel vault ceiling, a central skylight, stained glass windows, and many Stars of David." (Smith, 11/11/19)
Letter from Preservation Chicago to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in support of the Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, 4600-4628 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chicago, Illinois being awarded a grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.
"We support the recommendation and consideration of Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church as a candidate and recipient for the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund offered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
"This prominent religious building, designed by one of Chicago’s leading architects – Alfred Alschuler – has a rich cultural history and is tied to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1967, Dr. King gave his “Why Jesus Called Man a Fool” sermon at Mt. Pisgah during the National Baptist Convention. Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church would be a fine recipient of and African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
"The building is now officially recognized as a Chicago Landmark, reflecting its importance to the Bronzeville community, the City of Chicago and the nation.
"The Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church Building was designed by noted architect Alfred Alschuler in 1912 and constructed for the Chicago Sinai Congregation as the new Chicago Sinai Temple. This elegant, monumental, finely crafted limestone Classical-Revival style building was built on a grand scale and anchors the corner of 46th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The structure has three principal elevations, sheathed in dressed limestone, with pairs of tall Ionic-order columns of stone. The adjoining Mount Pisgah Center is also of fine quality and craftsmanship, symmetrical design and constructed of Roman brick and stone with large arched windows, extending upward from grade level to the second floor. Both are magnificent structures of the highest caliber with spectacular interior spaces and finishes.
"Architect Alfred Alschuler was born in Chicago in 1876 and attended the Armour Institute of Technology, graduating in 1899. He worked for Dankmar Adler (formerly with Adler & Sullivan Architects) for five years before joining Samuel Treat and others. Alschuler is also known for designing and constructing many legacy buildings and embracing reinforced concrete construction methods. His work includes many diverse projects, ranging from industrial buildings and factories, to retail stores, commercial office buildings and synagogues. Several of these structures are designated Chicago Landmarks, including the London Guarantee & Accident Building, now known as the London House Hotel, the Florsheim Shoe Factory and KAM Isaiah Israel Temple. Other notable projects by Alschuler include the Brach’s Candy Factory Complex on Chicago’s West Side (demolished), Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago’s Lake View Community, the Michigan-Ohio Building (demolished), Chicago Printed String Company Building, and the 17-story Chicago Mercantile Exchange Building of 1927. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Building was part of a huge but unsuccessful preservation effort of Preservation Chicago.
"From 1912 to the 1940s, the Sinai Temple/Mount Pisgah Church building served a very prominent German-Jewish congregation in the Grand Boulevard-Douglas community, which was later known as Bronzeville. In the 1940s, the congregation – one of Chicago’s oldest reform synagogues founded in 1861 – moved to the Hyde Park community.
"In 1961, Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church moved to this former synagogue building and complex, which later had long associations with Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference and hosted Dr. King in the 1960s. The building is therefore part of the rich Civil Rights history linked to Chicago, the African American community and the nation. Following Dr. King’s assassination, South Parkway was renamed in his honor—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
"We applaud the Mount Pisgah Church, its pastor, leadership and congregation for their long-term stewardship of the building for almost 60 years and their dedication and commitment to the community to which they serve, while also preserving its history and legacy for the future. The congregation has a wonderful complex of buildings and spaces and is committed to a comprehensive restoration plan.
"We offer our highest recommendation for the consideration of Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church for the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of The National Trust for Historic Preservation."
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WIN: Ramova Theater Restoration Plan Receives City Council Approval and TIF Support
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The Ramova Theater, 3518 S. Halsted Street, Meyer O. Nathan, Built 1929. Rendering Credit: Tyler Nevius
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The Ramova Theater, 3518 S. Halsted Street, Meyer O. Nathan, Built 1929. Photo Credit: John McCarthy / Cinema Treasures
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The Ramova Theater, 3518 S. Halsted Street, Meyer O. Nathan, Built 1929. Historic Photo Credit: Cinema Treasure
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The Ramova Theater, 3518 S. Halsted Street, Meyer O. Nathan, Built 1929. Photo Credit: Cinema Treasures
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"Bridgeport’s long-vacant Ramova Theater will be rehabilitated as part of a $22.9 million entertainment and dining complex through a financial plan approved by City Council today, April 24, 2020.
"Closed to the public since 1985, the 90-year-old, City-owned structure will be restored by Our Revival Chicago LLC as the centerpiece of a three-building theater, restaurant, and brewpub complex on the 3500 block of South Halsted Street, hosting concerts and other live events for up to 1,600 patrons.
“'This is an exciting step forward for the Bridgeport community and the entire cultural life of our city,' Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. 'The Ramova Theater will once again become the beating heart of Bridgeport as it helps fuel its local economy and write a new chapter in the history of the South Side.'
"City assistance for the project will include a $6.64 million Tax Increment Financing (TIF) loan that will be provided at project completion. The developer will repay $100,000 in interest over the first three years, with the principal and remaining interest to be forgiven at the conclusion of the 10-year-term, provided all annual compliance requirements are met. The City-owned theater building and adjacent lot, valued at $765,000, will also be provided for $1 to support the project.
"Built in 1928, the single-screen theater building was designed by architect Mayer O. Nathan in the Spanish Revival style with atmospheric details that resembled a courtyard under the stars. In 1940, it hosted the Chicago premier of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator.” The final movie screening took place in 1985, “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment.”
"The City took ownership of the vacant property in 2001 with long-term goals to support its redevelopment as an economic anchor for the community.
"'Bridgeport residents have been eager to see the Ramova restored for decades," Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th) said. 'This is a true public-private partnership that will bring entertainment, jobs and investment to a critical stretch of the Halsted commercial corridor.'
"The redevelopment project will also include a new 5,000-square-foot brewery and 4,000-square-foot restaurant in adjacent buildings. The project will create 80 permanent and approximately 110 temporary construction jobs. The TIF assistance will be provided following project completion and be subject to ongoing occupancy, employment, and other requirements for at least 10 years." (City of Chicago Press Release, April 24, 2020)
“I went to the Ramova when I was 4 years old to see Bambi, and was hooked ever since then,” Sullivan said. The Ramova played an outsize role in Sullivan’s upbringing in Bridgeport, as it did for many others she grew up with.
“As teenagers that’s what we did,” she said. “We hung around [the Ramova] pretty much all day, and hung out with our peers and people we had never met before from different places.”
"In 2005, Sullivan started organizing the Save the Ramova campaign to make sure the theater didn’t get torn down – and maybe even one day restored.
“We got in touch with Preservation Chicago and we started working with them on a petition, and shortly thereafter we had about 4,000 signatures and a lot of stories about what it meant to people around here,” she said.
"For the next 15 years there was a lot of talk, but not much action. That is, until late 2019, when a New York developer named Tyler Nevius arrived in Bridgeport with an ambitious plan to redevelop the space. Nevius – who works in the entertainment industry – plans to transform the decrepit old theater into a performance hub, which could host upwards of 100 shows a year.
"Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, 11th Ward, who represents most of Bridgeport, says the plan has so far been met with overwhelming support. “We had about 300 or so people at a meeting for the Ramova, and I’ve never been involved in a meeting where it was unanimous – everybody in the office was excited,” he said.
"But the theater is in rough shape, and the project is expected to cost close to $23 million – $6.6 million will come from Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, and another million from the state of Illinois. The city of Chicago is selling the property to Nevius for just $1. The rest will come from private investors and loans.
"Thompson says the substantial amount of public money going to the project is well worth it; the theater will incentivize development along this stretch of Halsted Street. 'It’ll absolutely be a tremendous engine for revitalization and redevelopment down here,' he said.
"After years of advocating for restoration, Sullivan says she’s cautiously optimistic the project will go forward – and absolutely thrilled at its potential. 'A building like this is something we can’t build again, and once it’s gone we’ve lost it forever. I’d really like to grow the neighborhood but I’d also like to preserve our history, and have those touchstones for us to remember where we came from,' she said." (WTTW, 1/28/2020)
Preservation Chicago is thrilled that the Ramova Theater will finally be restored and reopened. The Ramova Theater was a Chicago 7 Most Endangered 2012 along with a number of other neighborhood theaters. Preservation Chicago has been advocating for years to find a user for the Ramova in partnership with the Save the Ramova campaign lead by Maureen Sullivan, a dedicated Bridgeport neighbor and community leader. We were even involved with the preservation and relocation of the Ramova Grill interior fixtures, a beloved neighborhood restaurant located next to the theater, to Benton House in 2012. Perhaps it's time for its return to Halsted and 35th Street as part of this comprehensive Ramova Theater renovation?
Preservation Chicago remains in close contact with stakeholders in an effort to help the final Ramova Theater redevelopment be as successful as possible. We fully support this development and the use of TIF funds to make it possible. This is precisely the type of neighborhood-oriented reinvestment that Chicago needs to help make all neighborhoods vibrant places to live, work and explore.
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THREATENED: Hollenbach Building to be Demolished for New Construction
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The Hollenbach Building, 808 W. Lake Street, by Worthmann & Steinbach in 1912. Photo Credit: Alex Bean / Chicago Detours
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The Hollenbach Building, 808 W. Lake Street, by Worthmann & Steinbach in 1912. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer
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The Hollenbach Building, 808 W. Lake Street, by Worthmann & Steinbach in 1912. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer
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Fulton-Randolph Market District Designation Report District Map. Map Credit: City of Chicago. Indication of Hollenbach Building location by Preservation Chicago.
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"The Hollenbach Building is a building at 808 W. Lake Street in Chicago's Fulton Market District, which was designed by Worthmann & Steinbach and was built in 1912. It was built at a cost of $12,000, and was owned by Charles Hollenbach, housing the Hollenbach Seed Company. An addition was proposed in 1919, to be designed by Worthmann & Steinbach, but no permit was ever issued for its construction. Hollenbach Seed Company left the building in 1958, moving to the northwest suburbs.
"In 2013, the building was sold to One Off Hospitality Group for $1.7 million. The first floor currently houses One Off Hospitality Group's Publican Quality Bread. Developer North Park Ventures plans to demolish the Hollenbach Building and adjacent buildings and build a 19-story hotel and office building."
(Hollenbach Building, Wikipedia Page)
"A Chicago developer wants to build a 19-story hotel and office building on the eastern edge of the Fulton Market District, the latest big proposal for the fast-changing neighborhood.
"Adding to a string of recent plans for commercial buildings that would drastically change the physical character of the former meatpacking district, a venture of Chicago-based North Park Ventures proposes a glassy, 228,000-square-foot structure along the 800 block of Lake Street, according to a zoning application filed yesterday with the city.
"North Park proposes demolishing a row of small properties at 800, 808 and 810 W. Lake St. and developing the new building with parts rising two and three stories and the main tower rising 265 feet, hovering over the CTA tracks at the northwest corner of Lake and Halsted streets. (Ecker, Crains, 7/25/19)
The Fulton-Randolph Market District final Landmark recommendation was approved by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks on May 13, 2015. Every building included in this district received protection against demolition. However, any buildings beyond the borders are without protections. The Hollenbach Building is a beautiful historic building that could have been a contributing building included within the district, but it was excluded for unknown reasons. Preservation Chicago worked hard to advocate for the approval of the Fulton-Randolph Market District. At the time, there were objections from certain owners who preferred financial gain over neighborhood cohesion.
The Hollenbach Building should be preserved and incorporated as part of the larger development. At a minimum, the facade should be retained and integrated into the new construction. There is a successful example of a façade adaptive reuse a few blocks away at 905 West Fulton Market. In that case, the condition was more deteriorated than at 808 W. Lake Street, yet it was successfully incorporated into the new development and provides a sense of character and authenticity to the new construction. Preservation Chicago urges North Park Ventures and the City of Chicago to pursue this direction.
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WIN: Resurrection Project Affordable Housing Plan Includes Renovation of Many Historic Buildings
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967 W. 19th Street. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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2301 S. Drake Avenue. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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4600 S. Wood Street. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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2014 S. Racine Avenue. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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"A Pilsen nonprofit’s $28.7 million plan to rehab affordable housing units in three South Side neighborhoods was approved by City Council last week.
"The city will help the nonprofit rehab 155 affordable housing units in 14 apartment buildings in Pilsen, Little Village and Back of the Yards. The plan, called Casa Veracruz, was introduced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot earlier this year.
"The Resurrection Project will begin work to fix up the apartments — which range from studios to four-bedroom apartments – starting this summer.
"The buildings they plan to rehab include:
- 1910 South Albany Ave.
- 2124 W. 19th St.
- 2243 S. Central Park Ave.
- Casa Tabasco, 2301 S. Drake Ave.
- Casa Sor Juana, 2700 S. Drake Ave.
- Casa San Luis, 1640 S. Throop St.
- Casa Puebla, 2014 S. Racine Ave.
- Casa Oaxaca, 1714 W. 19th St.
- Casa Monterrey, 967 W. 19th St.
- Casa Hidalgo, 4600 S. Wood St.
- Casa Guerrero, 963 W. Cullerton St.
- Casa Guanajuato, 1313 W. 19th St.
- Casa Chiapas, 1712 W. 17th St.
- Casa Colima, 1427 W. Cullerton St.
"The project will improve the lives of more than 500 individuals who live in the buildings, said Raul Raymundo, Resurrection Project CEO." (Pena, Block Club Chicago, 4/28/20)
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WIN: Kosciuszko Park to Receive $1.85M Renovation
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Ice skaters enjoying a winter’s day in front of the fieldhouse at Kosciuszko Park in 1964. Photo Credit: Chicago Park District
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"Construction has been pushed back because of coronavirus, but Logan Square’s Kosciuszko Park is still on track to get a major overhaul, according to Ald. Felix Cardona Jr., whose 31st Ward includes the park.
"Cardona told Block Club the $1.85 million in Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funds former 31st Ward Ald. Milly Santiago secured for the renovation project in 2019 have already been allocated and the pandemic won’t stop the project from moving forward — it’s just delaying it. Construction was supposed to start this spring.
'It’s gonna happen, but construction is not going to happen in the spring,' the alderman said." (Bloom, Clock Club Chicago, 4/16/20)
Preservation Chicago strongly supports the restoration of Kosciuszko Park and the historic Koz Park Fieldhouse. Neighborhood parks play a essential role in fostering health of communities. The City of Chicago and Chicago Park District must continue to invest in these assets to maintain them. The cost to maintain an existing fieldhouse is a fraction of the cost of a new fieldhouse which often cost between $20m and $25M.
It's interesting to note that the cost of moving the Chicago Town and Tennis Club building onto Emmerson Park would be approximately $1.5M. Preservation Chicago urges the Chicago Park District to commit the necessary funds to save this endangered building from demolition by moving it into the adjacent park and making it the new Emmerson Park Fieldhouse.
"Spanning the Chicago Community Areas of Logan Square and Avondale, the neighborhood of Kosciuszko Park lies on the city's Northwest Side where the brick homes and two-flats of the Bungalow Belt mesh with the impressive former factories along the Pulaski Avenue Industrial Corridor. Colloquially known by locals as "Koz Park", or even the "Land of Koz", the area is a prime example of a local identity born through the coming together of locals thanks to the green spaces set aside by the foresight of Chicago's Progressive civic leaders." (Pogorzelski, A History of Kosciuszko Park)
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WIN: Long Vacant South Shore High School to be Used for Police and Fire Training Center
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Former South Shore High School, 7626 South Constance Ave., Built 1940. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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"City Council approved a controversial plan to turn the old South Shore High School into a police and fire training center Friday afternoon. In an online meeting, aldermen voted to allow the city to continue leasing the former school site through September 2028. The approval came without debate.
"The training center at the shuttered high school, 7627 S. Constance Ave., was created under a federal consent decree that requires ongoing training for officers on de-escalation strategies and accountability for their use of force.
"A specific curriculum for the training center has not been completed yet, but the site will be used for all officers on the force, according to former Chicago Police Department spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. There are few restrictions on the types of training that could be conducted there.
"The ordinance only mandates the site be used as “a training center” and that police and fire departments follow the Board of Education’s aquatic safety policy if they renovate the pool for scuba training.
"Residents and community leaders raised concerns about the plan before it was approved by the city’s Housing Committee in March. Neighbors said Mayor Lori Lightfoot failed on her promise of a broad community input process, as they didn’t get time to properly vet the plan.
"Residents will be able to utilize the building’s auditorium for community meetings and recreational and performance activities, according to the mayor’s office.
"The South Shore High School building has been vacant since 2014, when school operations were moved to the newer South Shore International College Preparatory High School, 1955 E. 75th St." (Evans, Block Club Chicago, 4/24/20)
Preservation Chicago supports the adaptive reuse of historic vacant Chicago Public Schools. We always encourage the City of Chicago and stakeholders to conduct open and transparent processes around reuse projects to ensure community input and support.
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WIN: Grammy-Winning Performer Kanye West Buys His Childhood Home to Prevent Demolition
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Kanye West's childhood home, 7815 S South Shore Drive, Built c.1905. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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"Grammy-winning performer Kanye West got a city permit this month to renovate his childhood home, which he bought in late 2018, preventing an announced demolition of the dilapidated property.
"West’s now-deceased mother, Donda West, owned the house on South Shore Drive from 1985 until she sold it in 2003. After a later owner lost it in foreclosure, a nonprofit acquired the house in 2016 and unveiled a plan to turn it into an arts incubator.
"But a year later, the nonprofit, headed by former Kanye West collaborator Che “Rhymefest” Smith, announced that because the house was in worse-than-expected condition, it would be demolished and replaced with a new building.
"Crain’s now has learned that Donda Services, a California legal entity formed in Kanye West’s name, bought the house in December 2018 from the nonprofit for $225,000. On April 9, the house received a city permit for renovations, according to Chicago Cityscape, a permit-tracking website.
"Crain’s could not determine what West plans to do with the house when renovations are complete. Possibilities include selling it, renting it out or putting the already planned arts incubator there. (Rodkin, Crain's, 4/21/20)
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LOSS: Mercy Home Demolishes Beautiful Historic Building at 221 S. Racine for a Vacant Lot
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221 S. Racine. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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221 S. Racine. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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221 S. Racine. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Mercy Home is in the process of demolishing the building at 221-225 S. Racine.
Despite dating from 1892 and having a highly intact, beautiful limestone façade, it is not Orange-rated because this building was overlooked by the Chicago Historic Resources Survey.
Without any protections, Mercy Home was able to receive a same-day demolition permit without any delay, oversight or approval. The permitting and demolition have proceeded rapidly.
Per Mercy Home in a letter to Preservation Chicago dated March 4, 2020, “ We currently do not have plans for future development of the site at this time.” Preservation Chicago anticipates this rare building type of fine carved limestone will be replaced with a vacant lot or paved parking lot.
In additional to the loss of the historic building, Chicago is experiencing an affordable housing shortage with some reports estimating 120,000 units needed. This building has provided 10 units of rental housing for Chicagoans for 128 years. It's a shame to see these units lost and replaced with a vacant lot.
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THREATENED: The South Side Swedish Club Listed For Sale
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The South Side Swedish Club/The Ridgeland Club, 7330 S. Ridgeland Avenue. Built c.1920s. Photo Credit: Cityfeet
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The South Side Swedish Club/The Ridgeland Club, 7330 S. Ridgeland Avenue Built c.1920s. Photo Credit: Cook County Assessors Office
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The South Side Swedish Club and later known as The Ridgeland Club located at 7330 S. Ridgeland Avenue in Chicago’s South Shore Community. The structure was constructed in the 1920s with additions possibly dating to the 1940s. It was identified as Orange-rated or significant in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey (CHRS) by the City of Chicago but little else is known. Original use was a banquet hall/entertainment venue.
It is currently for sale, and Preservation Chicago is interested in ensuring its long-term preservation. The building is approximately 21,500 sf and the site is 35,000 sf. List price is $390,000.
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LOSS: 3033 West Fifth Avenue Lost to Fire
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VIDEO: 3033 West Fifth Avenue Fire Footage on April 16, 2020. Built 1889, East Garfield Park. Video Credit: Chicago Fire Department Media
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3033 West Fifth Avenue, built 1889, East Garfield Park. Lost to fire April 2020. Photo Credit: Gabriel X. Michael
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3033 West Fifth Avenue, Built 1889, East Garfield Park. Lost to fire April 2020. Photo Credit: Gabriel X. Michael
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THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay List
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The Demolition Delay Ordinance, adopted by City Council in 2003, establishes a hold of up to 90 days in the issuance of any demolition permit for certain historic buildings in order that the Department of Planning and Development can explore options, as appropriate, to preserve the building, including but not limited to Landmark designation.
The ordinance applies to buildings rated Red and Orange in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey (CHRS), but it should be modified to include all buildings included in the survey. These buildings are designated on the city's zoning map. The delay period starts at the time the permit application is presented to the department's Historic Preservation Division offices and can be extended beyond the original 90 days by mutual agreement with the applicant. The purpose of the ordinance is to ensure that no important historic resource can be demolished without consideration as to whether it should and can be preserved.
Additional Reading
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Jeffrey Theater Building Complex, 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd./1952 E. 71st Street by William P. Doerr in 1923. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Jeffrey Theater Entrance, 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd./1952 E. 71st Street by William P. Doerr in 1923. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Jeffrey Theater Ornament, 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd./1952 E. 71st Street by William P. Doerr in 1923. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago
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#100850960
Date Received: 02/11/2020
Ward: 5th Ward Alderman Leslie A. Hairston
Applicant: Spirit Wrecking & Excavation, Inc.
Owner: South Shore Commercial Properties, LLC
Permit Description: Demolition of a 3-story masonry commercial building.
Status: Under Review
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3246 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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Address:
3246 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, North Park
#100863883
Date Received: 03/25/2020
Ward: 39th Ward Alderman Samantha Nugent
Applicant: John Hanna
Owner: 3244-50 Bryn Mawr LLC
Permit Description: Partial demolition of an existing 1-story commercial building;
the front façade will remain with a new 4-story addition (with a 6-foot setback from the front façade)
Status: Under Review
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11314 S. Michigan Avenue. Demolished February 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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Address:
11314 S. Michigan Avenue (Roseland's South Michigan Avenue District, a Chicago Most Endangered 7 2020)
#100863125
Date Received: 02/18/2020
Ward: 9th
Ward Alderman Anthony Beale
Applicant: Alliance Demolition and Excavation Services, Inc.
Owner: City of Chicago
Permit Description: Demolition and removal of a 2-story brick building.
Status: Released 02/19/2020 [Per Administrative Order issued by the Department of Buildings to address dangerous and hazardous conditions.]
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1733 N. Mohawk Street. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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Address:
1733 N. Mohawk Street, Old Town
#100863643
Date Received: 02/20/2020
Ward: 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith
Applicant:
Platinum Homes Development
Owner: Gisela E. Heinecken
Permit Description: Demolition and removal of a 2.5-story brick, multi-family building.
Status: Under Review
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600 N. Pine Avenue, photo from 2015. Demolished February 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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Address:
600 N. Pine Avenue, Austin
#100863125
Date Received: 02/20/2020
Ward: 37th Ward Alderman Emma Mitts
Applicant: Sciortino Group, Inc.
Owner: City of Chicago
Permit Description: Demolition of a 2-story residential frame building.
Status: Released 02/21/2020 [Per Circuit Court of Cook County Order and an Administrative Order issued by the Department of Buildings to address dangerous and hazardous conditions.]
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LOSS: “Spotlight on Demolition”
2251 S. Wentworth Ave., Chinatown
5959 S. Morgan St., Englewood
3742 N. Clifton Ave., Wrigleyville
2137 N. Clifton Ave., DePaul
2761 N. Kenmore Ave., Lincoln Park
2341 W. Shakespeare Ave., Bucktown
3941 W. Monroe St., West Garfield Park
7021 S. Vernon Ave., Greater Grand Crossing
6043 S. Racine Ave., Englewood
1028 N. California Ave., Humboldt Park
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“It’s an old, common cry in a city where demolition and development are often spoken in the same breath, and where trying to save historic homes from the wrecking ball can feel as futile as trying to stop the snow. My Twitter feed teems with beautiful houses doomed to vanish in the time it takes to say ‘bulldozed.’ Bungalows, two-flats, three-flats, greystones, workers’ cottages. The photos, posted by people who lament the death of Chicago’s tangible past, flit through my social media feed like a parade of the condemned en route to the guillotine,”
mused Mary Schmich in her Chicago Tribune column on July 12, 2018.
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2251 S. Wentworth Avenue. To be Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Serhii Chrucky
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5959 S. Morgan Street. Demolished April 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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3742 N. Clifton Avenue. Demolished March 2020. Photo Credit: Coldwell Banker
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2137 N. Clifton Avenue. Demolished March 2020. Photo Credit: VHT
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2761 N. Kenmore Avenue. Demolished March 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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2341 W. Shakespeare Avenue. Demolished April 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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3941 W. Monroe Street. Demolished April 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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7021 S. Vernon Avenue. Demolished April 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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6043 S. Racine Avenue. Demolished March 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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1028 N. California Avenue. Demolished March 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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WATCH The Fascinating Interview!
How the Auditorium Changed Europe with Rolf Achilles and Rich Regan
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Auditorium Theatre, Adler & Sullivan, 1889 Photo Credit: Auditorium Theatre
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"This week’s #AudTalk features a conversation between Auditorium CEO Rich Regan and Rolf Achilles, an art historian and historical preservationist who has written and lectured extensively on Chicago architecture.
Tune in to learn about the Audiorium’s influence on European art movements, Chicago as a model for the great cities of Europe, and the architectural details that made our building the first of its kind.." (Auditorium Theatre, April 2020)
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PRINT: Will 'The Ave' In Roseland Really Rise Again With City Hall Plan? (Chicago 7 2020)
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Historic Photograph of the State Theater at 110th Place in Roseland’s Michigan Avenue Commercial District, c.1970 Photo Credit: Paul Petraitis
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"South Michigan Avenue sits on a natural ridge that Native Americans used as trail. Dutch farmers who settled on the vast prairie once known as Hope, Illinois called it 'High Road.'
"When steel mills pumped soot into the sky and money into pockets, working class families packed street cars and sidewalks on a stretch of that same path. Everything you needed, you could get on the stretch of Michigan Avenue — between 111th and 115th streets — that locals called 'The Ave.'
"In 1950s, Gately's People Store at Michigan and 112th Street was the hottest street car stop. Gately's was the place where you could buy a lawnmower and a Sunday dress, shop for groceries and get yourself a cheeseburger for lunch all under one roof.
"Shoppers could pick up a few things at Woolworth's and S.S. Krege Corporation, the five-and-dime chain that later became Kmart. You could stock up on fresh Italian sausage from Dal Santo's, pick up the latest Rolling Stones single at the RCA record shop and even try your luck at finishing the "Tummy Buster" sundae at Snack Time Coffee Shop." (Konkol, 3/9/20)
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WATCH: Ask Geoffrey - The Story Behind the Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium
on WTTW Chicago
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Ask Geoffrey: The Story Behind the Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. Image Credit: WTTW Chicago
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"A one time tree nursery became a bucolic place of rest and recovery for tuberculosis patients on Chicago’s North Side. Geoffrey Baer shares this story of a decades long battle against a contagion.
"In 1929 through the early 1930s, my grandmother was a patient at the Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. What year did the sanitarium first open and what year did it close?
"Today the property is called North Park Village and it’s part of the Chicago Park District on the Northwest Side. (It’s also a neighbor of WTTW’s — the property is just north of our studios.) But from 1915 to 1974, it was the Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. The historic buildings and beautiful grounds were home to hundreds of patients.
"Tuberculosis is a highly contagious bacterial disease that mainly affects the lungs and, like the coronavirus, is spread by droplets. Throughout human history, TB has been the most deadly disease and it still is today. It’s curable with antibiotics, but in 2018, 10 million people worldwide contracted it and 1.5 million people died of it according to the World Health Organization.(Gunderson, 4/30/20)
The Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium became a Designated Chicago Landmark on November 1, 2018. Preservation Chicago advocated for this designation and testified many times over the years on its behalf.
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WATCH: A Virtual Tour of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture in the Humboldt Park Stables
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A Virtual Tour of a Historic Home to Contemporary Art, the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture in the Humboldt Park stables. Photo Credit: WTTW Chicago
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"This year marks 25 years since the flag sculptures were installed above Division Street in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.
"In the nearby park, another landmark was built a full century earlier. Construction started in 1895, and the Humboldt Park stables have survived fire and the threat of demolition over the years before restoration began in 1998.
"Inside, three galleries of art spotlight cultural gems. The former horse stable and Receptory building is now home to the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture. It’s currently closed, but we got a private tour of this historic building with a new mission.
"A little more on the museum’s 19th century home – it was designed by architects Frommann and Jebsen. Its Queen Anne-style turrets rise above an old German style of architecture. The master landscape architect Jens Jensen once occupied the corner office. The building was declared a Chicago landmark in 2008. The museum opened in 2014."(Vitali, 4/28/20)
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PRINT: City Council Unanimously Bans Horse-Drawn Carriages Starting Jan. 1
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City Council Unanimously Bans Horse-Drawn Carriages. Photo Credit: WTTW Chicago
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"The distinctive sound of hooves clip-clopping along downtown streets will soon become a relic of a bygone era.
"The Chicago City Council on Friday approved a ban on horse-drawn carriages in Chicago starting Jan. 1, 2021 ending a debate that raged for years and often turned deeply personal. Alds. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward), David Moore (17th Ward), Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward) and Emma Mitts (37th Ward) voted no.
"Members of the Chicago Alliance for Animals pressured aldermen to ban the 'archaic, inhumane' practice before a horse died on Chicago’s streets. However, operators of some of the 10 firms licensed to operate horse-drawn carriages pleaded with aldermen to let them keep rolling around the Water Tower and along the Magnificent Mile, flooded aldermen with objections and said they love their horses and would never allow them to be mistreated.
"Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward) said in March that the 10 horse-drawn carriages operating in Chicago racked up 'hundreds of violations' by 'refusing to follow basic rules of the road.' (Cherone, 4/24/20)
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PRINT: Serhii Chrucky Shoots the James R. Thompson Center for Preservation Chicago
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Serhii Chrucky Shoots the James R. Thompson Center for Preservation Chicago. Photo Credit: Wonderful Machine
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"This structure, the James R. Thompson Center, isn’t even 40 years old. Yet some of Chicago’s elected officials want what was formerly known as the State of Illinois Building to be sold because they believe repairing it will cost too much. To assist Preservation Chicago's effort to save the Thompson Center, Serhii Chrucky culled some phenomenal interior and exterior photos of the edifice.
"Everyone who I spoke with at Preservation Chicago was impressed with the images. I attended the press conference where they announced the seven most endangered, and it was standing room only. The announcement also received significant press coverage.
"The 'seven most endangered' Serhii alludes to are the historic buildings that PC believes are at risk of being torn down. The non-profit hopes its annually-published lists — and the substantial publicity they generate — will save structures like the Thompson Center, which undoubtedly give one of the world’s great cities its uber-metropolitan feel.
"The first time I saw the Thompson Center was over twenty years ago, when I was a freshman in high school. I went to school 2.5 miles west of downtown, so my friends and I would frequently take the train in and explore.
"The atrium is obviously awe-inspiring, but my first impressions of it were as this bustling hive of activity — like a futuristic Grand Central Station. (Raghupathi, 4/22/20)
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PRINT: Home is Where the Art Deco Is:
Modernist Design Around the Corner
from the Chicago Art Deco Society's Newsletter
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Home is Where the Art Deco Is: Modernist Design Around the Corner. Photo Credit: Chicago Art Deco Society
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"When it comes to Art Deco architecture, especially in the Midwest, one tends to think of the skyscraping commercial edifices and the grand WPA projects of the 1920s and ‘30s; however, Chicago is home to hundreds of smaller-scale works in many of its neighborhood’s residential buildings that have often gone overlooked by casual observers. As an urban center, Chicago never wholly bought into the early-Modernist design language in the implementation of the construction of private buildings, as opposed to what you might find in other great Deco neighborhoods like Miami Beach and some boroughs of New York. Instead, Chicago architects often opted to display Art Deco features sparingly, as an incorporated element, or as a way to contrast new construction with the Victorian and Classical Revival home designs more popular amongst the city’s upper-middle class in the early part of the twentieth century.
"However, there are still great examples of Art Deco and Moderne design-work that pepper many Chicagoland neighborhoods. As is the case in most other American metropolises, Modernist influences were often seen in multi-unit apartment and townhouse building construction in the denser urban residential areas. In Chicago’s Near North Side neighborhoods, for instance, scattered examples of smaller single-lot, three-flat buildings exhibit some of the city’s most exquisite Deco architectural details.
"The demi-block of Schiller Street between Wells Street and LaSalle Drive offers a couple of great examples of tucked-away Modernist design. Two apparently contrasting apartment buildings stand across the street from each other almost as if in conversation, each made with completely different materials and with distinct construction methods. One of them is defined by its streamlined, sheer white stucco Art Moderne form, while the other is much more an eclectic Deco and Arts & Crafts amalgamation. Both of them, however, exhibit quintessential design elements of mid-1930s Modernism: flat roofs and balconies with accented metal coping; horizontal lines that highlight geometry; asymmetrical façades with tall windows; and modern flourishes, like cruise ship portholes and unique brickwork."(Kruse, 4/28/20)
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PRINT: A Chicago Couple Restores a Spacious Gothic Revival, Inside and Out
In Preservation Magazine
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A Chicago Couple Restores a Spacious Gothic Revival, Inside and Out in Preservation Magazine, National Trust for Historic Preservation. Photo Credit: Matthew Gilson
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"Jay Dandy: We bought the house in June of 2002 and moved in that November. We had been living in a big, Victorian-era house, and this one was equally grand, if not grander. It had soaring 12-foot ceilings.
"Melissa Weber: Also, the rooms were very open and square, as opposed to long and narrow, which is typical of Victorian houses. We were really drawn to the spaciousness of the rooms. It felt more livable.
"Jay: It’s in the Hyde Park-Kenwood area and was built in 1909 for Arthur G. Leonard, president of the Union Stock Yard & Transit Co. We found newspapers from ’09 stuffed in the walls. In the 1930s or ’40s, it was purchased by the Rev. Clarence H. Cobbs, who was a very well-known minister and the founder of the First Church of Deliverance. He was a South Side fixture. We’re told he lived in this house until the late ’70s.
"There are people in the neighborhood who as young kids came to the reverend’s house and had Sunday dinners. [During our renovations], they would stop by, concerned that it was being turned into condos or something. But we assured them, no, we were keeping it a single-family home.
"Melissa: Originally, we were going to renovate the entire house at once, but we quickly realized the exterior was one job, and the interior was another job. The first renovation was in 2004, when we did the exterior.
"We took out and restored almost all the windows—there are 90 windows, in all. We did a comparison between restoring and replacing, and it ended up that restoring was actually not that much more expensive." (Walser, Spring 2020)
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RADIO: What’s That Building?
The Krause Music Store
on WBEZ Chicago
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What’s That Building? The Krause Music Store. Krause Music Store, Louis Sullivan, 1922, (last of 237 projects designed by Sullivan including projects by Adler & Sullivan), 4611 N. Lincoln Avenue. Photo Credit: WBEZ Chicago 91.5
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"Tucked away on a busy section of Lincoln Avenue sits a remarkable building that has made people stop and stare since 1922.
"Today, it’s up for sale by owners Pooja and Peter Vukosavich — but only by someone who’ll cherish the history of the building. In the past, it’s been used as an office, a funeral home, art gallery and architectural gift shop.
"The Krause Music Store’s facade was designed by famous Chicago architect Louis Sullivan and follows his slogan 'form follows function.' In this case, the form is a richly-ornamented, gray, terra cotta façade that sets off a big central window made to display pianos.
"Like a stage, the large window is surrounded by a frame of lights, flowers and color.
"After the Vukosaviches bought the property in 2005, they embarked on a $1.2 million rehab of the stunning facade and interior. They added a serene Japanese garden out back and rented out the second floor apartment where original owner William Krause lived.
"The building is currently up for sale for $2.9 million. The Vukosaviches, who paid $665,000 for the building, want to find somebody who will appreciate, treasure and protect the building as they have.
"The Krause Music Store is a beautiful last act in Louis Sullivan’s long career, but it also has a sad history." (Rodkin, 3/30/20)
On September 20, 1977, the City of Chicago recognized the historic significance of the Krause Music Store and it became a Designated Chicago Landmark.
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PRINT: Documenting the Past: A look at some of Chicago’s disappearing buildings
in South Side Weekly
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Documenting the Past: A look at some of Chicago’s disappearing buildings. Interior of Ashland Sixty-Third State Bank, Karl Vitzthum in 1924. 1536 W. 63rd Street, Issued an emergency demolition order by the City of Chicago Departments of Buildings on November 15, 2017. Photo Credit: Martin Gonzalez
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Ashland Sixty-Third State Bank, Karl Vitzthum in 1924. 1536 W. 63rd Street, Issued an emergency demolition order by the City of Chicago Departments of Buildings on November 15, 2017. Eric Allix Rogers
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"It’s fun to shoot old Chicago. I like documenting and seeing the hidden history. So much will be forgotten if we do not photograph the past. When a school, a church, or any building is abandoned, it usually winds up being demolished—by taking pictures we’ll help preserve its history.
"I was sad to see the building looking this way because so much of the main shopping district in Roseland is abandoned and disappearing. This neighborhood had so many department stores, restaurants, and other lively places. I bet there used to be many old theaters and bars here. When Gatelys caught on fire, I knew that a link to the past was going to be demolished. I had gone into some parts of the old department store back around 2012, when the parking garage and back area was demolished. I found so many cool items inside: old Gatelys receipts, catalogs, and shopping bags. That Gatelys sign is now gone, no longer a reminder of the good old days.": (Gonzalez, 4/28/20)
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PRINT: Independent Theaters Want You To Keep Going To The Movies
on WBEZ Chicago
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Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Avenue, Louis Simon and Edward Steinborn, 1929. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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"Independent movie theaters have faced threats to their business models in the past, but probably didn’t anticipate a global pandemic.
"Local theaters have hustled to adapt to changing times. Case in point: the 90-year-old Music Box Theatre in Lakeview. While watching a movie from home can’t replace the smell of buttery popcorn or the sticky floor beneath your feet, it’s become a way for small local theaters to survive.
"The Music Box, which closed March 16, is among the small theaters that found a new revenue stream with a “virtual cinema space.” With the cooperation of distributors, the Music Box’s streaming service launched March 27 and currently offers five films. But while these streaming services provide a temporary financial lifeline, they are unlikely to be a long-term solution.
"'When we closed our doors, suddenly there was no revenue coming in,' said Brian Andreotti, the Music Box’s director of programming. 'In just a few weeks, people have gone from confusion, to a certain amount of panic, to coming up with a new concept of film distribution and putting it into action.'
"Here’s how it works. Each distributor has its own way of approaching a streaming platform, but it’s usually an online ticket sale of about $10 to $12. The payment unlocks the film to be available for a designated period of time, which ranges from a day to a week. It’s similar to what you’d find from renting a movie on Amazon Prime Video, but the difference is some films are exclusively released to the 'virtual cinemas.' These could be films that either were in theaters when venues closed, or films that were originally slated for a theatrical release during the pandemic." (WBEZ, 4/24/20)
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PRINT: Proof that the "Greenest Building is the One Already Standing" Released in 2012 Report from National Trust for Historic Preservation
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Historic Two-Flats on Iowa Street in Chicago. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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"'The Greenest Building is the one already standing', Carl Elefante's great line, has been the mantra of the green preservation movement, and I have used it a lot on TreeHugger. But while we knew it intuitively, we never had any real data. Until now, with the release of The Greenest building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, released this morning. The report uses Life Cycle Analysis, (LCA) to compare the relative impacts of building reuse and renovation versus new construction.
"This study examines indicators within four environmental impact categories, including climate change, human health, ecosystem quality, and resource depletion. It tests six different building typologies, including a single-family home, multifamily building, commercial office, urban village mixed-use build- ing, elementary school, and warehouse conversion. The study evaluates these building types across four U.S. cities, each representing a different climate zone, i.e., Portland, Phoenix, Chicago, and Atlanta.
"The key findings show that the mantra is true, the greenest brick really is the one already in the wall, but with some caveats and qualifications.
"Building reuse almost always yields fewer environmental impacts than new construction when comparing buildings of similar size and functionality.
"The range of environmental savings from building reuse varies widely, based on building type, location, and assumed level of energy efficiency. Savings from reuse are between 4 and 46 percent over new construction when comparing buildings with the same energy performance level.
"Now I must confess I was a bit shocked and disappointed when I saw those numbers in the lefthand column, only 9% to 16% reductions in climate change savings by keeping the old instead of building new. I asked Patrice Frey of the Preservation Green Lab and she pointed out that this was actually a big number.
"In fact, replacing an average building with a new, more efficient building still takes as many as 80 years to overcome the impact of the construction. (Alter, 1/24/12)
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PRINT: The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse from 2012 Report from National Trust for Historic Preservation
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Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation: Looking for the Greenest Building? Start with the one that already exists. Image Credit: Preservation Green Lab
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"A report produced by the Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of the potential environmental benefit of building reuse.
"This groundbreaking study, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, concludes that,
when comparing buildings of equivalent size and function, building reuse almost always offers environmental savings over demolition and new construction.
"The report’s key findings offer policy-makers, building owners, developers, architects and engineers compelling evidence of the merits of reusing existing buildings as opposed to tearing them down and building new. Those findings include:
"Reuse Matters. Building reuse typically offers greater environmental savings than demolition and new construction. It can take between 10 to 80 years for a new energy efficient building to overcome, through efficient operations, the climate change impacts created by its construction. The study finds that the majority of building types in different climates will take between 20-30 years to compensate for the initial carbon impacts from construction.
"Scale Matters. Collectively, building reuse and retrofits substantially reduce climate change impacts. Retrofitting, rather than demolishing and replacing, just 1% of the city of Portland’s office buildings and single family homes over the next ten years would help to meet 15% of their county’s total CO2 reduction targets over the next decade.
"Design Matters. The environmental benefits of reuse are maximized by minimizing the input of new construction materials. Renovation projects that require many new materials can reduce or even negate the benefits of reuse.
"The Bottom Line: Reusing existing buildings is good for the economy, the community and the environment. At a time when our country’s foreclosure and unemployment rates remain high, communities would be wise to reinvest in their existing building stock. Historic rehabilitation has a thirty-two year track record of creating 2 million jobs and generating $90 billion in private investment. Studies show residential rehabilitation creates 50% more jobs than new construction."
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Toxic demolition dust covers Little Village following the implosion of the Crawford Smokestack. Photo Credit:Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO)
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"The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) strongly condemns the implosion of the Crawford coal plant smokestack by Hilco Redevelopment Partners (Hilco). For almost 2 years now, LVEJO, the Little Village community, and those in solidarity have been sounding the alarm to decision-makers on the lack of commitment, transparency, and responsibility by Hilco for the consequences of their redevelopment activities and demolition plans on neighborhood residents and workers. Despite their many statements, Hilco has not been accountable to the community and has dismissed the deep concerns of community leaders about the redevelopment of the site from a formerly polluting coal plant to a future polluting warehousing and distribution facility that would continue to have devastating impacts on public health in an already overburdened environmental justice community.
"In this case, Alderman Mike Rodriguez (22nd Ward) knew about the smoke stack implosion on April 2, 2020 and wrongly assumed Hilco would protect the health of nearby neighbors despite many warnings by LVEJO and neighborhood leaders to the contrary. Hilco and Alderman Rodriguez only issued a last minute “notice” the night of April 9 that failed to reach many affected households before the April 11th implosion. The City of Chicago (City) also permitted the implosion, trusting Hilco’s assurances that the company would use protective measures to contain dangerous activities. Despite our best efforts to stop the implosion once we knew about it at the same time the community was “notified,” on top of previous warnings about the company and their prior violations including the death of a community member on site, Hilco was allowed to move forward and completely failed to implement protective measures.
"The City also failed to consider how allowing Hilco to keep the demolition schedule during the COVID19 respiratory disease pandemic was reckless and may have severe consequences for a community already impacted by respiratory health issues if anything went wrong. Given the above, it is the State of Illinois (State of Illinois Office of the Governor, State of Illinois Office of the Attorney General, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency), Cook County (Cook County Board, Cook County Assessor’s Office), City of Chicago (City of Chicago Office of the Mayor, Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago Department of Buildings), 22nd Ward Alderman, and Hilco’s shared responsibility to provide immediate relief to Little Village community, including residents, those incarcerated in Cook County Jail, and businesses, as follows:
1. There must be immediate and comprehensive public disclosure of the mix of toxins and materials that made up the polluted dust cloud — the stack constituents — to enable affected residents to seek appropriate medical treatment and take any protective measures possible.
2. Hilco must take responsibility for all costs to assess the release of toxic dust and to remediate its effects, including a full cleanup of residences and all affected community areas. Hilco must also be held responsible to cover medical care for community members that result from this tragedy. A study to determine the nature and extent of the release and its impact of nearby residential and commercial properties must also happen immediately. Public disclosure of the pollutants will enable this to move forward.
3. We have reports that the dust entered the inside of homes of nearby residents during the implosion. The City of Chicago must release guidance on safely cleaning and handling of this dust by residents immediately who are waiting for more formal cleanup while living amongst the dangerous dust inside of their own homes. In the meantime, we strongly urge residents to be as careful as possible and avoid close contact with the dust as much as you can while the City determines what is in it. Use gloves, wear masks, stay away from it, and try not to disturb it as much as you can.
4. LVEJO and Little Village community renew our call for perimeter Particulate Matter (PM) monitoring at the fenceline of this site, a request that was previously made to and rejected by Chicago Dept. of Public Health and IL EPA last summer based on evidence of dust releases during demolition activities.
5. The release of air pollution beyond the boundaries of the property is a violation of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. This case must be referred to the Illinois Attorney General for investigation and Hilco must be prosecuted by the State of Illinois for these violations to the fullest extent of the law.
6. There must be an immediate suspension of demolition activities on the site during the stay-at-home order and until the city can conduct an independent review of the demolition, the oversight exercised by city agencies, and additional measures that must be implemented to ensure the health, safety of nearby residents. This suspension of demolition must be extended to ALL sites across Chicago. This release is exactly the type of occurrence that a city demolition permit must be designed to prevent, but it did not do so here.
7. High quality protective masks must be distributed to those living in the Little Village community and adjacent areas impacted by the spread of dust. Residents have notified us that they only received 2-3 one-time-use masks but have multiple residents living in the building. Distribution should not just be the immediate surrounding blocks, but also include all the residents and the community incarcerated at Cook County Jail.
8. The Cook County Assessor's Office must rescind the $19.7 Million dollar tax break Hilco received in January of 2019.
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Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Preservation Chicago recognizes the need for Misericordia’s extraordinary housing and services. We strongly support this important work, and we believe it is possible to both meet the high demand for Misericordia housing and repurpose the historic Chicago Town & Tennis Club building at 1925 W. Thome Avenue in the West Ridge neighborhood of Chicago.
We encourage the City of Chicago to work with Misericordia to achieve a zoning density and site plan that can accommodate housing for at least 150 Misericordia clients, while keeping the historic building intact either for adaptive reuse by Misericordia or to sell to a preservation-minded developer.
PLEASE sign the petition today to support this approach that allows for the housing units so desperately needed by Misericordia’s clients while also saving an important historic Chicago asset.
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Support Glessner House with Donation $25 or More & Receive Beautiful William Morris Face Mask Thank You Gift
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William Morris Face Mask Thank You Gift. Photo Credit: Glessner House
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"The COVID-19 pandemic has created special challenges for Glessner House, as we cancel all tours and programs for an extended period, while expenses go on all the same. Donations, large and small, are greatly appreciated to keep us going during this difficult time, and to allow us to plan for the time when we can open the house once again to visitors from around the world, providing memorable experiences.
"Donors of $25 or more can receive a William Morris face mask as a thank you gift, if so indicated during check out. These face masks are exclusive to Glessner House, utilizing the many wonderful Morris designs that Frances Glessner selected to decorate her home. Thank you for your support! The mask shown above is representative; the actual mask you receive may be of a different pattern.
"Since 1966, Glessner House has been leading the effort to preserve and celebrate the legacies of architect Henry Hobson Richardson, the Glessner family, and Prairie Avenue, while also helping to launch and encourage the historic preservation movement city-wide. Over the last half-century, the House has successfully restored H. H. Richardson’s residential masterpiece; preserved the Glessner family’s fine collection of Arts & Crafts era furnishings; celebrated the illustrious history of late 19th and early 20th century Chicago; and introduced tens of thousands of visitors from Chicago, the United States, and around the world to the rich history embodied in the House and its collections."
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Support "Saving the Sacred" Film
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Support "Saving the Sacred" Film Campaign. Photo Credit: Regina
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"Regina's first film uncovers the hidden heroes of the Catholic world — the people who are giving their all to save our beautiful, historic churches.
"Regina went on the road, traveling the low-budget way to dozens of parishes in England, Ireland and the USA. Regina climbed into steeples, flew drones around, slept on couches, interviewed priests, architects, maintenance experts and ordinary people who are in this fight together to save our endangered heritage. And had success! The filming is now complete — all of it for just $8K donated by Regina fans. Film by Alexander Anthony Choong
"Now we're ready for Phase Two: Creating the actual film. And this is where where you come in. We need $23,000 to edit this film and create a one hour documentary that will be shown around the world — and inspire others to save their churches too.
"This is our legacy, and our heritage. Do your part to help save it! Please consider making a tax-deductible donation.
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Minnekirken GoFundMe Campaign Launched for Restoration Project
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Minnekirken Restoration GoFundMe Campaign. Photo Credit: Erin Brown
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"For the Next Century, For det Neste Århundre"
"Over the past 108 years, The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church (aka Minnekirken) has been sitting proudly on Logan Square. The physical structure of 'The Red Church' has also been exposed to the Chicago elements, and it is now in need of restoration.
"Visual assessments by local architects and engineers led to the hiring of several restoration professionals in the fall of 2019 to closely and thoroughly examine the structure. The façade of the church was stabilized with masonry repairs, and it was determined that further structural maintenance and restoration is imperative to ensure the long-term stability of the church.
"This restoration project comes at a critical time, when the Logan Square traffic pattern in front of the church is planned to be redirected, and there is addtional work upcoming at nearby CTA properties. With heavy, earth-moving machinery expected to operate not far from the church's doorstep, there is an increased sense of urgency to further stabilize the physical structure of Minnekirken."
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Raise the Roof!
Fund The Forum!
Fundraising Campaign
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The Forum, 318-328 East 43rd Street, Samuel A. Treat of Treat & Foltz Architects, 1897. Photo Credit: The Forum Bronzeville
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"Fund Bronzeville’s future by helping us repair a piece of its past.
"Before its decline in the late 20th century, The Forum served as a hub of Bronzeville commerce, culture, and community. It included one of the most significant assembly spaces on the South Side, hosting politicians, unions, social clubs and fraternal organizations, above first floor storefronts that provided the commercial core of the 43rd Street retail corridor.
"The imposing brick building contains Forum Hall, Bronzeville’s first assembly hall and home of possibly the oldest hardwood dance floor in the city. This is the floor upon which musical luminaries like Nat King Cole, Captain Walter Dyett, and Muddy Waters performed, and national civic movements such as the Chicago Council of the National Negro Congress, Stockyard Congress of Industrial Organizations, and Freedom Riders organized.
"Since 2011, Urban Juncture Foundation has worked in partnership with the owner of The Forum to stabilize the building and rehabilitate it as a community venue that will once again host weddings, political meetings and musical performances, as well as provide an abundance of retail amenities. In July 2019, we won a $100,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to replace The Forum’s decaying roofs. However, this generous award falls $50,000 short of our requested amount, meaning we can afford to replace only one of two roofs this spring.
"Help us raise the roof and fund The Forum! By contributing to this campaign, you not only help preserve a unique monument to Black history, but also help fund a future where commerce, culture and community once again thrive in Chicago’s historic Black Metropolis."
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Preservation Chicago's '7 Most Endangered 2020' Bicycle Tour with Biketropolis Cancelled
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Preservation Chicago 7 Most Endangered 2020 Bicycle Tour. Image Credit Biketropolis and Preservation Chicago
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The Biking Tour of the Chicago 7 Most Endangered Sites for 2020 created by Biketropolis and Preservation Chicago has been cancelled and any reservations will be fully refunded. We hope to reschedule once it is safe to do so.
Since 2003, Preservation Chicago has announced its annual Chicago 7 Most Endangered list to draw attention to important Chicago historic resources threatened by demolition due to development pressure, neglect, or a lack of resources. Once included as a Chicago 7, a historic building or resource remains an advocacy priority of Preservation Chicago for as many years as it takes for it to be saved or demolished.
Curated with Preservation Chicago's staff and Executive Director Ward Miller, the purpose of this tour is to give riders a first-hand account of why buildings are included on the 2020 list and share some past Chicago 7 success stories and some tragic losses. We will ride through many different neighborhoods, have access to the interior of some of the sites, and learn about the historical and architectural importance of each location.
Preservation Chicago has identified approximately 100 historic resources through its Chicago 7 Most Endangered program, enjoyed many wins, and suffered some tragic losses to Chicago's built environment. Enjoy biking through some of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods and learn more about the "Chicago 7 Most Endangered" program and efforts.
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Chicago Architecture Center presents
A Tale of Two Fairs
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Aerial view north across the lagoon of the Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago, c.1933. Photo Credit: Rufus Dawes/Ryerson & Burnham Archives
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"Did you know Chicago hosted two world's fairs, 40 years apart? Join CAC on May 20 to compare and contrast the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the Century of Progress International Exposition held in 1933.
"We often hear about the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and its grand 'White City,' but rarely about Chicago’s 'other' world’s fair, held 40 years later. While little remains of the Century of Progress International Exposition, we can still compare the two—and discover why one is talked about so much more often than the other today.
"Program Speaker: Ellen Shubart. Ellen Shubart has been a CAC docent since 2006, leading many tours on land, on the Chicago River and from the top of an open-air bus. Prior to becoming a docent, Shubart worked in journalism for 20 years, followed by land planning and public policy advocacy."
$8 Public
Free for CAC members
This program will be hosted on Zoom.
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Chicago Detours Hosts Free Virtual Tours During Stay-at-Home Order
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Chicago Detours Begins Virtual Tours. Image Credit: Chicago Detours
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"Instead of the real life walking tours we usually offer, right now you can join us on 20-minute talks as a “Historic Happy Hour for Curious People” on weekdays and 40-minute live, virtual tours on weekends. These online talks and tours are free, with a $5-25 suggested donation to support our small business. Public tours are currently suspended. Past talks and virtual tours are viewable on Youtube for a limited time."
“HISTORIC VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR FOR CURIOUS PEOPLE” – Weekdays 6:00pm-6:30pm
Fri, May 1 – “Five Classic Chicago Bars"
Wed, May 6 – “Damn Fine Architecture on Dearborn and Printer’s Row”
Thurs, May 7 – “Chicago Underground Layers Virtual Expedition”
Fri, May 8 – “Forgotten Nightlife History around Viagra Triangle”
Tues, May 12 – “World Detour to Sicily with Amanda”
Wed, May 13 – “Chicago’s Forgotten Chinatown”
Thurs, May 14 – “Monumental Architecture of LaSalle Street”
Fri, May 15 – “Beloved Barflies of Chicago Lore”
LIVE VIRTUAL TOURS – Weekends 1:00pm-1:50pm
Sat, May 2 – “Gargoyles, Jenga Towers, and Robots in a UChicago Campus Tour”
Sun, May 3 – “What’s left of Al Capone’s Chicago”
Sat, May 9 – “Cruise from Your Couch Virtual Boat Tour”
Sun, May 10 – “Mother’s Day Brunch Women’s History Tour”
Sat, May 16 – “The Secret Pasts of Wicker Park Buildings”
Sun, May 17 – “Brains Behind the Chicago Skyscraper”
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Docomomo US Calls for Nominations for
2020 Modernism in America Awards
Due May 29, 2020
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Calling Nominations for the 2020 Modernism in America Awards. Photo Credit:Docomomo US
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Nominate a project that inspires for the 2020 Modernism in America Awards. Now in its seventh year, the Awards celebrate the documentation, preservation and reuse of modern buildings, structures and landscapes built in the United States or on U.S.territory.
The Awards recognize building owners, design teams, advocacy groups and preservation organizations that have made significant efforts to retain, restore and advocate for the aesthetic and cultural value of such places.
Docomomo US is pleased to announce that they are now accepting nominations for the 2020 Modernism in America Awards in the following categories:
- Design (Residential, Commercial, Institutional)
- Inventory/Survey
- Advocacy
All nominations must be submitted by May 29, 2020.
Winners will be announced in September and recognized at an awards ceremony set for November 12th at the Design Within Reach Third Avenue showroom in New York City. The jury will be announced in the following weeks.
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Which are your favorite Neighborhood Buildings in Chicago?
We need your help!
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Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Which are your favorite Neighborhood Buildings in Chicago?
Please Help Preservation Chicago assemble "Best of the Chicago Neighborhoods" Lists.
Chicago is internationally renowned for its built environment. Not surprisingly, most of the "best of Chicago architecture" lists are focused on Chicago's great architecture downtown. We love the Loop too, but it's time to give a little loving to the great architecture that make Chicago's neighborhoods so....great!
Please take a moment to sent us you favorite neighborhood buildings. It could be any type of building commercial, retail, religious, park fieldhouse, industrial, transit station. Or it could be a single-family home or three-flat or multi-family or it could even be a stretch of buildings or homes that make the place so special. Or it could even be a green space or even a neon sign!
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LOST CHICAGO...BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
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Edgewater Beach Hotel
by Marshall & Fox
Built 1916 & 1923
. Demolished 1971.
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Edgewater Beach Hotel, by Marshall & Fox, 5543-5555 N. Sheridan Road, Built in 1916 and 1923. Demolished in 1971. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection, Architecture Postcard Collection, Rigot, Max, Selling Co. [Chicago]
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Edgewater Beach Hotel, by Marshall & Fox, 5543-5555 N. Sheridan Road, Built in 1916 and 1923. Demolished in 1971. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection, Architecture Postcard Collection, Grogan Photo
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Edgewater Beach Hotel, by Marshall & Fox, 5543-5555 N. Sheridan Road, Built in 1916 and 1923. Demolished in 1971. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection, Chicago Architectural Photographing Co. [Chicago]
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Edgewater Beach Hotel, by Marshall & Fox, 5543-5555 N. Sheridan Road, Built in 1916 and 1923. Demolished in 1971. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection, Architecture Postcard Collection, Process Photo Studios [Chicago]
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Edgewater Beach Hotel Illustration from 1927, by Benjamin H. Marshall, 5543-5555 N. Sheridan Road. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection, Chicago Architectural Sketch Club Collection
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Edgewater Beach Hotel Advertisement for Edward Hines Lumber Company from 1924, by Marshall & Fox, 5543-5555 N. Sheridan Road. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives, Archival Image Collection, Chicago Architectural Sketch Club Collection
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Edgewater Beach Hotel
Architect: Marshall & Fox
Location: 5543-5555 N. Sheridan Rd
Built: 1916 and 1923
Demolished: 1971
"Benjamin Marshall’s greatest hotel accomplishment was arguably the Edgewater Beach complex (1916-28), of which he was president. Contract books show that, as with several of his other hotels, and even some large houses like the Eckhart mansion, Marshall Field & Company provided all the furnishings, from the silverware and china to the chairs and carpets, it being customary at the time for large department stores to have comprehensive decorating services.
"The two hotels – an eight-floor, X-shaped building from 1916 and an eighteen-story tower from 1923 – along with an adjacent apartment building/hotel built in 1927-28, encompassing more than 1,000 rooms, as well as a private beach, exotically detailed theme restaurants the Polynesian Room and the nautical Yacht Club, gardens, a golf course, radio station WEBH, motor coach services, and even airplane rides. These elements all combined to create a resort in the city, with the likes of Xavier Cugat, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Hoffa, and Babe Ruth as guests and participants in this urban theater.
"The Edgewater Beach was so well known that it had its own cookbook, Arnold Shircliffe’s popular Edgewater Beach Hotel Salad Book (1926). Sadly, nothing of either hotel survives today, except for the Edgewater Beach Apartments."
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Every Donation Counts.
Please Support
Preservation Chicago
!
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Demolition of American Taxi Service building, built 1928, at 5608 S. Stony Island Avenue. Demolished November 2019. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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- Be Heard! Attend community meetings and make your voice heard!
THANK YOU from your friends at Preservation Chicago!
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Preservation Chicago is committed to strengthening the vibrancy of Chicago’s economy and quality of life by championing our historic built environment.
Preservation Chicago protects and revitalizes Chicago’s irreplaceable architecture, neighborhoods and urban green spaces. We influence stakeholders toward creative reuse and preservation through advocacy, outreach, education, and partnership.
For larger donors wishing to support Preservation Chicago, please contact Ward Miller regarding the Preservation Circle details and a schedule of events at wmiller@preservationchicago.org or 312-443-1000.
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