January 2020 Month-in-Review Newsletter

Preservation Chicago's 2020 "7 Most Endangered" Announcement and Presentation Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at Noon SOLD OUT, but watch on Facebook Live

Ashland Sixty-Third Street Bank Building, 1536 W. 63rd Street, Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

The Preservation Chicago 2020 Chicago 7 Most Endangered announcement will be held Wednesday, February 26  High Noon Chicago Architecture Center Lecture Hall 111 E. Wacker Drive Due to high demand, the event sold out quickly, so Facebook Live broadcast will be available to allow a wider audience. To watch, 'like' the Preservation Chicago on Facebook, and tune in for the live broadcast February 26 at 12:00. The presentation will also be recorded and posted on the Preservation Chicago website for later viewing. 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.  www.PreservationChicago.org 

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Table of Contents

ADVOCACY WIN: Superior Street Rowhouses and Near North District THREATENED: Chicago Town and Tennis Club / Unity Church THREATENED: Uptown Theatre THREATENED: Cassidy Tire Building WIN: Six Corners Sears Store THREATENED: Alderman Speaks out against OPC Gentrification THREATENED: Federal Review Confirms OPC's "Adverse Effect" THREATENED: Francis Parker School Buying Up Condos THREATENED: Washington Park National Bank  THREATENED: Nordine Home LOSS: Paul Revere Lodge/Truc Lam Buddhist Temple Demolished WIN: Revere Park Field House THREATENED: Character of Irving Park Block WIN: Old Ravenswood Hospital WIN: Iowa Building in Jackson Park WIN: Lathrop Homes IN MEMORIAM: Terry Tatum THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay Highlights LOSS: Spotlight on Demolition NEWS PRINT: Chicago’s Greatest Remaining Gilded Age Mansions WATCH: A Look Inside Bridgeport’s Ramova Theatre Ahead of Proposed Renovation RADIO: What’s That Building? The Stock Yards Bank MISSING: Chicago Schlitz Tied House Owners Need Help Finding One-of-a-Kind Window PRINT: A Better Remedy for Chicago's Affordable Housing Shortage. How about Rewarding Developers for Building Outside the Hottest Neighborhoods?  PRINT: Wait, Are Two-Flats Only A Chicago Thing? Why These Uniquely Chicago Homes Have Thrived For A Century VIDEO: Perspectives on the Obama Presidential Center WATCH: History Museum Acquires 5 Million Photos from Chicago Sun-Times PRINT: Chicago’s 10 most senseless demolitions, mapped; From groundbreaking early skyscrapers to sprawling rail terminals PETITIONS & SUPPORT PETITION: Save the Chicago Town & Tennis Club/Unity Church! Minnekirken GoFundMe Campaign Save St. Raise the Roof! Fund The Forum! Campaign EVENTS Neil Harris discusses “Chicago Apartments" LOST CHICAGO...BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Cable Building by Holabird & Roche SUPPORT Please Support Preservation Chicago!

Advocacy

WIN: Landmark District Approved to Protect Superior Street Rowhouses and 13 Additional Historic Near North Buildings

42, 44 & 46 East Superior Street Rowhouses. Photo Credit: Taylor Moore / Block Club Chicago

After years of advocacy, the "Near North Side Multiple Property District" has been approved by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks. Final steps include approval by the Chicago City Council. The Superior Street Rowhouses were saved from demolition by the preliminary designation of this Chicago Landmark District. The timing of the designation of the Near North Side Multiple Property District was fortunate and was the culmination of years of advocacy by Preservation Chicago. The district is comprised of a total of 16 historic residential properties on Superior, Ontario, Rush, Huron, Erie, Dearborn and Grand.  These buildings represent some of the remaining survivors from the once extensive post-fire residential district. The endangered status of other buildings now protected by the Landmark Designation was confirmed during the Commission of Chicago Landmarks testimony on March 7, 2019, when owners of three different buildings protested the inclusion of their historic buildings in the Preliminary Landmark District as this status would prevent them from moving forward with plans to demolish their respective buildings. The Near North Side Multiple Property Landmark District includes the following structures: 642 North Dearborn Street 14 West Erie Street 17 East Erie Street 110 West Grand Avenue 1 East Huron Street 9 East Huron Street 10 East Huron Street 16 West Ontario Street 18 West Ontario Street 212 East Ontario Street 222 East Ontario Street 716 North Rush Street 671 North State Street 42 East Superior Street 44 East Superior Street 46 East Superior Street Preservation Chicago was deeply engaged in the advocacy effort to save the Superior Street Rowhouses at 42, 44 and 46 E. Superior Street and proactively worked on the ground with neighborhood organizations and other stakeholders to generate support for the Landmark District. When during the Commission on Chicago Landmarks hearing the Chairman asked the position of the public, we were able to present our Change.org petition with over 5,775 signatures on 262 pages and an additional 22 pages of comments in support. Additionally, Preservation Chicago researchers worked long hours to discover and assemble as much historic material as possible about these structures and other similar surviving buildings in the neighborhood. Preservation Chicago wishes to recognize and applaud the leadership of 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly and the professionalism and efficiency of his office and staff. Additionally, Preservation Chicago wishes to recognize and thank the Chicago Department of Planning and Development Historic Preservation Staff, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Landmark Illinois, and all of the community members who contributed to the protection of these architecturally significant Chicago buildings. Additional Reading WATCH: Historic Near North Houses Headed for Landmark Status, Nick Blumberg, WTTW Chicago, 2/6/20 “You walk down the street and you see a lot of tall buildings going up, and then you see these wonderful little row houses that have these charming little businesses in them,” said Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago. “The human scale of these structures … really gives a sense of place, a sense of history.” (WTTW, 2/6/20)

THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay Clock Running Out for Chicago Town and Tennis Club!

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

PLEASE sign the petition to Save Chicago Town and Tennis Club/ Unity Church

"Misericordia is planning a major expansion of its West Ridge residential campus. To do so, the charitable group is seeking to tear down a nearly 100-year-old former tennis club built by notable architecture firm George W. Maher & Son. (The son was Philip Maher, the accomplished architect of several Chicago Landmarks including 1260 and 1301 N. Astor Street, the Farwell Building, the Woman’s Athletic Club of Chicago, and Illinois Automobile Club, also known as the Chicago Defender Building.) "The former tennis club at 1925 W. Thome Ave. sits just south of Misericordia Home, the 31-acre campus where the charity houses 600 children and adults with developmental disabilities. Misericordia bought the tennis club building in 2018 for $7.5 million, and it plans to incorporate the site into the larger campus to provide more housing services. "Those plans are not sitting well with some preservation groups and neighbors, who are seeking ways to save the building while allowing for Misericordia’s expansion. “We support [Misericordia’s] great work,” said Mary Lu Seidel, director of community engagement for advocacy group Preservation Chicago. “We are of the opinion that this number of homes can be done on the site … without taking down the property itself.” "Misericordia has already applied for a permit to demolish the former tennis club, officials said at a community meeting Wednesday. But because the city has rated the building “orange” — meaning it is “potentially” architecturally or historically significant — city officials have placed a 90-day delay on the issuing of the permit. "Now, Misericordia is seeking a zoning change to allow for the community-style housing on the tennis club site. That zoning request was the subject of a community meeting Wednesday, where neighbors weighed in on the fate of the tennis club building. "The building is considered the work of George W. Maher, a contemporary of heralded Chicago architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. The tennis club building was constructed in a Tudor revival style, and was modeled off the Wimbledon tennis club in England." (Ward, Block Club Chicago, 1/9/20) We at Preservation Chicago would like to see the building landmarked and repurposed to serve Misericordia’s mission while honoring and reusing an architecturally significant building. We are requesting that Misericordia retract their demolition permit application and take the time to seriously consider this and other possible options for eh historic structure. Other options include 1) selling the historic building and constructing a higher density, less suburban style building on the parking lot, 2) doing a land swap with the Chicago Park District and the adjacent Emmerson Park, or 3) donating building to the Chicago Park District and moving it a few hundred feet into Emmerson Park. Sign the petition to Save Chicago Town and Tennis Club/ Unity Church Read the full story at Block Club Chicago Misericordia’s Expansion Plan In West Ridge Sets Off Preservation Fight; To help alleviate its long wait list, Misericordia wants to build 16 homes for people with developmental disabilities on the site of a historic former tennis club. Joe Ward, Block Club Chicago, 1/9/20

WIN: Uptown Theatre Restoration Back on Track

Uptown Theatre Post-Renovation, Rendering Credit: Lamar Johnson Collaborative

"After years of planning and raising funds, work to restore the historic Uptown Theater could finally begin in a few months. The last remaining funding needed for an overhaul of the long-dormant movie palace will likely be in place by late spring, Ald. James Cappleman (46th) said in an email to residents. Work on the building could begin shortly after that, the alderman said. "The work would represent one of the biggest steps taken thus far to renovate and re-open the Uptown Theater, 4816 N. Broadway, which has been closed since 1981 and has seen many fits and starts to its rehabilitation. "In 2018, city officials unveiled a $75 million plan to renovate the theater. The project is to receive about $40 million in public financing, including $13 million in TIF funds and $14 million through a state clean energy fund, Block Club previously reported. At the time, officials said construction on the theater would start in summer 2019, but that timeline came and went as theater owners sought additional funds. "Theater co-owners Jerry Mickelson and Scott Goodman still needed to come up with $40 million, Mickelson told the public in April 2019. By November, the co-owners needed to raise $26 million, the Chicago Tribune reported. Mickelson and Goodman founded a non-profit, called the Uptown Theater Foundation, that would oversee the theater’s operation and be able to receive grants and donations for its revival. Mickelson, the JAM Productions co-founder, and Goodman, a developer, bought the theater in 2008. "On Friday, Cappleman said funding will likely be in place by late spring. Construction is expected to begin shortly afterwards, the alderman said." (Ward, Block Club Chicago, 1/27/2020) Read the full story at the Block Club Chicago Uptown Theater Renovation Work Could Begin This Summer, Alderman Says; The last remaining funds needed to renovate the Uptown Theater will be secured by late spring, officials said. Joe Ward, Block Club Chicago, 1/27/2020

THREATENED: Cassidy Tire Building Threatened by New High-Rise Tower

Wm. J. Cassidy Tire Building, originally known as the Tyler & Hippach Mirror Company Factory, by Henry J. Schlacks in 1902 at 344 N. Canal Street. Photo Credit: Google Street View

Wm. J. Cassidy Tire Building, originally known as the Tyler & Hippach Mirror Company Factory, by Henry J. Schlacks in 1902 at 344 N. Canal Street. Photo Credit: Google Street View

Wm. J. Cassidy Tire Building, originally known as the Tyler & Hippach Mirror Company Factory, by Henry J. Schlacks in 1902 at 344 N. Canal Street. Photo Credit: Google Street View

Tracks Built to Move the Entire 6,000-ton Tyler & Hippach Building approximately 220 feet in 1908. Photo Credit: The Engineering Record, Vol 58, No. 12, September 19, 1908, Pages 317-319.

"A plan to demolish the old Cassidy Tire building at 344 N. Canal Street and replace the nearly 120-year-old warehouse with a shiny apartment tower is advancing. Developer The Habitat Company and Chicago-based architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz envision a 33-story building with 343 apartments and 124 parking spaces at the Fulton River District site, according to an email form Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd). "A casualty of the high-rise development will be the historic Cassidy Tire building, which started life in 1902 as a factory and warehouse for the Tyler & Hippach glass company. The five-story masonry structure was designed by architect Henry J. Schlacks, who is primarily known for creating a number of significant Chicago churches such as Woodlawn’s Shrine of Christ the King, Noble Square’s St. Boniface Church, and Pilsen’s St. Adalbert Parish. "In addition to being a rare surviving example of Schlacks’s industrial work, the old structure is also notable for being moved more than 200 feet from its original location in 1908. At that time, the undertaking was considered an engineering marvel and was even featured in that year’s The Engineering Record publication, according to research by Preservation Chicago. "Alderman Reilly has yet to declare his support for the proposal, which will require a zoning change to switch from commercial to residential use." (Koziarz, 11/27/19) The building is an excellent example of a “Chicago School” or “Chicago Commercial Style” and is a fine example of a steel-framed structure of its era. Schlacks, who began his architectural career working in the office of Dankmar Adler & Louis Sullivan, is better known for designing many of Chicago’s most beautiful churches. The factory remains largely intact from its original appearance. Most of the original windows remain in place, with the exception of in‐filled openings and newer units on the first and second floors on the north and south elevations.   Preservation Chicago believes the building could be considered for Chicago Landmark designation as it was designed by a prominent architect. Other structures by Henry Schlacks are protected under a Chicago Landmark designation, and this is a rare surviving example of an industrial building by him. Additionally, in 1908, it was reportedly the largest building moved ever completed (with a large published article and photographs in “The Engineering Record” for September 19, 1908–page 317). Other notable details include the remarkable contribution of the original owners to Chicago’s architecture and their tragic personal story. Additionally, this is the site Wolf Point which dates back to the very earliest history of Chicago and deserves special care and attention.   Noting all of these factors, Preservation Chicago encourages the City of Chicago to take steps to create a Chicago Landmark designation and encourage the developer to incorporate the Cassidy/Tyler & Hippach Glass Company Building into the larger residential development proposed for this site. There is ample room for both new and old to coexist. We have outreached to 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly to encourage a reuse of the building or the incorporation of it in the proposed development.  Read the full story at Curbed Chicago Rendering reveals 33-story apartment tower replacing Cassidy Tire warehouse; The Fulton River District proposal calls for 343 rental units, Jay Koziarz, Curbed Chicago, 11/27/19 With special thanks to Matt Wicklund for his outstanding historic research. AUDIO: What’s That Building? The Cassidy Tire Building — And Its Unusual Escape From Demolition Dennis Rodkin, Morning Shift, WBEZ 91.5 Chicago, June 6, 2019   Developer plans 33-story Fulton River District apartment tower, “It’s the perfect point between the West Loop and the Loop,” Habitat President Matt Fiascone said of the 343-unit building he plans at 344 N. Canal St., Alby Gallun, Crain’s Chicago Business, 5/8/19   Moving a Large Brick Factory Building, The Engineering Record, Vol 58, No. 12, September 19, 1908, Pages 317-319

WIN: Six Corners Sears Store To Be Adaptability Reused as Part of Larger Redevelopment (Chicago 7 2016)

Sears at Six Corners, 4730 W. Irving Park Road. Rendering Credit: Tucker Development

Sears Roebuck & Company at Six Corners, 4730 W. Irving Park Road, 1938 by George Nimmons. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago

"Seritage Growth Properties and Tucker Development Corp. are working together to bring more than 400 apartments to the old Sears at 4730 W. Irving Park Road. The apartments will be split between the converted Sears building and a new seven story complex on an adjacent lot. There will also be 13 townhomes along Belle Plaine Avenue north of the lot... 288 units would be in the new building on Cicero and 133 would go into the renovated Sears building. Additionally, there will be 13 townhomes nearby." (Laurence, Block Clb Chicago, 1/28/20) Preservation Chicago attended the community meetings to continue to advocate for a sensitive preservation treatment of the historic building. It is also worth noting that the Sears Stores were a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2016 and that we’ve been advocating preservation-sensitive outcomes for the Sears buildings with stakeholders including aldermen, city officials, community groups, and developers. We’ve worked closely with the Northwest Chicago Historical Society on advocacy and to help raise awareness of the high importance of these buildings by architects George Nimmons, who designed many buildings for Sears Roebuck and Company. Nimmons was a very notable Chicago architect who designed the Designated Chicago Landmark Sears Roebuck and Company complex on Homan Avenue on Chicago’s west side. Read the full story at Block Club Chicago Six Corners Sears Overhaul Gets Alderman’s Approval, Though Tensions Over Corner’s Future Remain; More than 400 apartments are coming to the former Sears location at Six Corners, but just 3 percent of those units will be affordable. Justin Laurence, Block Club Chicago, 11/28/20) Sears Stores Chicago 7 2016 Write Up on Preservation Chicago's Website

THREATENED: Alderman Speaks Out Against Gentrification Caused by Obama Presidential Center (Chicago 7 2019)

Obama Presidential Center Gentrification Protest at Chicago City Hall. Photo Credit: James Foster/ Chicago Sun-Times

"Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) slammed the city’s new proposal to preserve affordable housing around the Obama Center Tuesday evening, while questioning the sincerity of the public input process that led to the proposal’s creation. "Taylor said the city’s new proposal doesn’t do enough to protect Woodlawn residents from displacement. If the draft proposal isn’t strengthened, the freshman alderman said she will push for the city’s proposal to stall in committee once it’s introduced. “I don’t want to kill [the city’s proposal], but if that’s what needs to happen to make sure we’re not displaced, then that’s what’s got to happen,” Taylor said. “We’re smart enough to come up with our own plans. …Don’t ignore our lived experiences with your ‘I think I know because I read it in a book.'” (Evans, Block Club Chicago, 1/29/20) Read the Full Story at Block Club Chicago City’s Scaled-Back Obama Center Housing Plan Doesn’t Do Enough To Protect Woodlawn, Alderman Says; "I don't want to kill [the city's plan], but if that's what needs to happen to make sure we're not displaced, then that's what's got to happen," she said., Maxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago, 1/29/20)

THREATENED: Federal Review Confirms "Adverse Effect" to Jackson Park from OPC (Chicago 7 2019)

The Obama Presidential Center’s 235-foot-tall museum building looms over The Museum of Science and Industry and Jackson Park. Rendering Credit: Obama Foundation

"Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the effects of projects that accept federal funding on historic properties. The OPC’s construction will affect both Jackson Park and the Midway Plaisance, which are deemed historic properties and listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The webinar provided an opportunity for consulting parties such as the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, community activist groups, and other stakeholders to give feedback on the revised AOE report. "During the webinar, Jackson Park Watch cofounder Margaret Schmid objected to the report’s conclusion that despite “adverse effects” on the historic integrity of Jackson Park and the Midway, their statuses on the NRHP will not be threatened. Schmid noted that this was a tentative conclusion reached by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Cultural Resources Unit, not a binding affirmation. "Scott Craver, the editorial director of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, criticized the City for not making sufficient efforts to prevent adverse effects to the affected area’s historic integrity. Craver said that aside from the Obama Foundation’s decision not to build a parking garage on Midway, the City made no efforts to avoid adverse effects on Jackson Park and the Midway Plaisance in the OPC design. "Department of Planning and Development representative Eleanor Gorski responded to Craver’s criticism by citing modifications to the proposed OPC building, campus, and surrounding roadway design after the project’s initial proposal. “The examples you gave show the opposite is true,” Craver said, mentioning that the height of the OPC building has been increased in the latest report, and that the proposed roadway modifications were declared to pose an adverse effect to the area. “I can’t see evidence that the City has asked the Obama Foundation to do a single thing to avoid significant adverse effects, and I think the best evidence of that is the report the City just produced,” Craver said. "Mary Lu Seidel, director of community engagement at Preservation Chicago, reiterated Craver’s concern. “There is no avoidance [of adverse effects] in this AOE, and there was no avoidance in the last AOE.” "Seidel also inquired into the City’s involvement with the project. “Does it strike anyone, with all due respect to the City of Chicago, as a conflict of interest when this entire project has been approved by the City...yet they are serving as the lead organizer of this project?” (Gersony, Chicago Maroon, 1/28/20) Read the full story at The Chicago Maroon OPC Under Scrutiny: Federal, City, and Community Representatives Share Discourse; The City of Chicago held a webinar on its Assessment of Effects report on the Obama Presidential Center, Laura Gersony, The Chicago Maroon, 1/28/2020 “If the Obama Presidential Center had chosen a privately-owned development site... it would be open for visitors today,” wrote advocacy group Preservation Chicago. “The second choice option is across the street from Washington Park. It requires no federal review, no massive road rebuilding, and no special deals with [the] city of Chicago.” (Koziarz, Curbed Chicago, 1/27/2020) What’s going on with the Obama Center? Here’s where the $500M project stands.The feds found that the center will adversely affect Chicago’s parks and boulevards. This is what comes next, Jay Koziarz, Curbed Chicago, 1/27/2020

THREATENED: Francis Parker School Quietly Buying Up Condos Until Neighbors Cried Foul

317-325 W. Belden Avenue. Photo Credit: Redfin

"An elite private school near Lincoln Park Zoo has moved closer to owning and eventually demolishing two century-old condominium buildings to make way for a campus expansion, but some neighbors aren’t going quietly. "The Francis W. Parker School has a letter of intent to buy the entire 19-unit building at 317-325 W. Belden Ave. and is negotiating a formal contract, the school confirmed in a statement. "Meanwhile, the school has increased its ownership stake to six of the 15 units in the neighboring Belden by the Park condo building at 327-335 W. Belden through a series of deals with individual condo owners, the school confirmed. "After the school began buying units last summer, the school told the Tribune in August that it had no immediate expansion plans. It has reiterated that position, saying it wants to own the two brick buildings so that it eventually can expand the 6-acre campus. "Nevertheless, some neighbors have ramped up their opposition to any school expansion. "An informal group called the East Lincoln Park Neighbors has distributed thousands of flyers. Titled “Stop Francis Parker From Demolishing Our Homes And Wrecking Our Neighborhood,” the flyers describe the school’s property purchases as predatory, and allege the moves are causing residents of the condo buildings to turn against each other. "The group has collected more than 1,100 signatures on a petition to maintain residential zoning around the school, said Stacy Scapino, a member of the group who lives in another nearby property, the Shakespeare Building. “It’s clear that they are intent on acquiring these buildings and pushing families out, and that they intend to demolish the buildings,” Scapino said. “So it’s important to raise awareness before it’s too late.” (Ori, Chicago Tribune, 1/28/20) When asked, Parker has been vague and non-committal regarding its long-term plans, however, it has been reported that Parker made a new offer to purchase the building for $19 million, an amount significantly higher than the market rate value. Lead by the local community, a well-organized campaign to landmark the buildings is underway. Despite widespread support from neighbors for landmarking these and other nearby historic buildings, 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith’s support is necessary for this new potential landmark district to move forward. Preservation Chicago has been working for years to create a landmark district to protect a number of extraordinary buildings in this immediate neighborhood and fully supports this effort. Read the full story at the Chicago Tribune Elite private school Francis W. Parker nears control of adjacent condo buildings in Lincoln Park, and some neighbors aren’t going quietly, Ryan Ori, Chicago Tribune, 1/28/20

THREATENED: Washington Park National Bank Threatened with Demolition (Chicago 7 2016)

Washington Park National Bank Building, 6300 South Cottage Grove, Photo Credit: Indiana University Archives

"The Cook County Land Bank is still working out the details of the sale of former Washington Park National Bank site to a prominent South Side developer. "There is no hard deadline for completing the $250,000 sale to Revive 6300, a joint venture between DL3 Realty and Greenlining Realty USA, Land Bank director Rob Rose said. The Land Bank accepted the proposal for the property in March 2019. "Once a sale is finalized, the partners intend to demolish the nearly century-old structure and replace it with a new one featuring 60,000 square feet of office space, said Alex Sparhawk, DL3’s director of acquisitions and development. "(Evans, Block Club Chicago, 1/21/20) There are only a few buildings left in Woodlawn that embody the racial power and vitality the neighborhood's history stands for. Tearing down another one is an unnecessary injury to Woodlawn's history and to its current residents. It is universally understood that people construct their personal and social identities in dialogue with the buildings that surround their daily lives. The people who now live in Woodlawn will understand this message from the Land Bank – 'You and your community's history are disposable.' And the community will ask – 'Why are you going to displace us and our history, and who are you going to 'revitalize' the neighborhood for?' (from a letter written to the Cook County Land Bank Authority from Michal Safar, President of the Hyde Park Historical Society on March 29, 2019) Preservation Chicago urges DL3 Real Estate, the Cook County Land Bank Authority Executive Director Rob Rose, and the Cook County Land Bank Authority Board of Directors to preserve and reuse this historic building. The Washington Park National Bank Building is an important neighborhood anchor on a commercial corridor that has seen the tragic loss of many important buildings. It is essential for the long-term reinvestment and prosperity of this commercial district that this historic building be preserved and redeveloped. The building is linked to the Chicago Race Riots of 1919 and is one of the few structures still standing which witnessed this tragic event on the long march towards equality and social justice. Read the full article at Block Club Chicago Land Bank, DL3 Realty Still Negotiating Sale Of Washington Park National Bank Building;The Land Bank accepted DL3's proposal in March 2019. Once the sale is finalized, the developer aims demolish the nearly century-old building and replace it with a new one. Maxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago, 1/21/2020

THREATENED: Nordine Home on 90-Day Demolition Delay Despite Interest From Preservation-Oriented Prospective Buyer

Nordine House, 6106 N. Kenmore, Pond and Pond, 1902. Photo Credit: Edgeville Buzz

"A demolition permit has been filed for the former home of late voice actor and jazz poet Ken Nordine, setting off a city review over whether razing the mansion is the right course of action. "Nordine, a renowned voice actor, radio host and inventor of “word jazz,” lived with his family in the last remaining single-family home in the 6100 block of North Kenmore Avenue. Nordine died early last year, putting the fate of the stately mansion up in the air and sparking a neighbor-led preservation effort. "In late December, Nordine’s estate filed for a demolition permit for the home, city records show. The demolition filing has neighbors worried about the building’s fate. “We’re hopeful” the home will be saved, said Bob Remer, president of the Edgewater Historical Society. “But we’re not out of the woods yet.” "The Nordine Home, as it is known to neighbors, has been rated “orange” in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey. Because of its “orange” status, the demolition permit for the Nordine Home has been given an automatic 90-day delay. The delay allows the city’s Department of Planning and Development to review the teardown request and consider if the building is worth preservation. The Nordine House is orange-rated is a demolition request will trigger a 90-day demo delay. "In an email to constituents, Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) said he is monitoring the demolition permit process and is generally in favor of historic preservation. “I strongly support the preservation of historically significant buildings,” Osterman said in an email." (Ward, Block Club Chicago, 1/21/20) Recognizing the importance of the house designed by architects Pond & Pond in 1902, Preservation Chicago has presented to the owner/seller and the Alderman a highly-qualified cash buyer who can match the developer's offer and who would preserve the historic home. Yet despite this win-win alternative, the current owner/seller continues to proceed towards demolition. Their application on December 12, 2019 for a demolition permit started the 90-Day Demolition Delay count-down for this property. Preservation Chicago is working closely with the Edgewater Historical Society and our Statewide preservation partner Landmarks Illinois to bring about a preservation sensitive outcome. Read the full article at Block Club Chicago As Edgewater Neighbors Fight To Save Late Jazz Poet Ken Nordine’s Mansion, Estate Moves To Demolish It Neighbors are hoping to save the stately mansion that is the last single-family home on its Edgewater block, Joe Ward, Block Club Chicago, 1/21/2020

LOSS: The Historic Ravenswood Club / Paul Revere Lodge/ Truc Lam Buddhist Temple Demolished

Ravenswood Club / Paul Revere Masonic Lodge / Truc Lam Temple, 1521 W. Wilson Avenue. Demolished January 2020. Photo Credit: Uptown Update

"The neighborhood’s 120-year-old Truc Lam Temple has been demolished to make way for a preschool. "The temple, 1521 W. Wilson Ave., went up for sale in 2017 and soon after the Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Association members who worshiped there moved to suburban Elmwood Park. "Although a preliminary landmark designation was approved by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks in 2004, the property never gained landmark status. "Ward Miller, Executive Director of Preservation Chicago, said the landmark designation had approval from everyone except the temple. He said the owners did not want to landmark the building. The property fell under the Religious Buildings Ordinance, meaning the city could not force the designation upon the property owners. "Miller said the building had fallen into “some disrepair” but that most of it is cosmetic. He said Preservation Chicago has been working since 2017 to find a buyer who would be interested in preserving the historic structure. "The problem, he said, is a high asking price that “encourages demolition rather than a re-use of the building.” Property records show that the building was purchased for $1,050,000 in 2006. "Originally, the building was known as the Ravenswood Club, and after that it was the Paul Revere Masonic Lodge. “We have a remarkable set of buildings with a remarkable history, but there isn’t the political will to keep it preserved,” Miller said. "He said he was frustrated that local leaders couldn’t get a deal done to save the building. “It ties back to some of the early history of the community,” Miller said. “It’s a remarkable frame structure that really does sort of set the tone at that corner. With its big parkway and green space in front its a great asset for the community. It’s a waste to see just another four-story mundane piece of architecture there. The loss would be tragic.” (Ballew, Block Club Chicago, 11/1/19) Read the full story at Curbed Chicago Despite Efforts To Save Truc Lam Buddhist Temple, 120-Year-Old Building Likely To Meet Wrecking Ball; Originally, the building was known as the Ravenswood Club, and after that it was the Paul Revere Masonic Lodge. Jonathan Ballew, Block Club Chicago, 11/1/19

WIN: TIF to Support Revere Park Field House Improvements

Revere Park Field House, Clarence Hatzfeld, 1931, 2509 W. Irving Park Road. Photo Credit Google Street View

"Revere Park’s field house is getting a makeover. Ald. Matt Martin (47th) has agreed to the Chicago Park District’s request for $1.5 million in TIF funds to improve the facilities at 2509 W. Irving Park Road. The field house, designed by Clarence Hatzfeld and first dedicated in 1931, is in need of infrastructure improvements as well as accessible features for people with disabilities. "The improvements are expected to begin in the spring and should take about 12 months to complete according to Luis Hernandez, a park district spokesperson. Since last year, improvements like repairing the roof and windows and making the building compliant with the American Disabilities Act have already been underway." (Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 1/15/20) Read the full story at Curbed Chicago Revere Park Field House Getting Fixed Up Thanks To $1.5 Million In TIF Funding; Ald. Matt Martin (47th) has agreed to the Chicago Park District’s request for $1.5 million in TIF funds to improve the facilities at Revere Park.Alex V. Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 1/15/20

THREATENED: Developer Seeks Upzoning to Allow Condo Buildings on Irving Park Block of Single Family Homes

3900 Block of West Eddy Street in Irving Park. Photo Credit: Google Maps

"The 3900 block of West Eddy Street in Irving Park is lined with massive trees and large single-family homes, most with charming front porches and neatly-kept lawns. "But a sprawling stucco home at 3917-21 W. Eddy St. stands out. The rundown, 105-year-old home sits next door to a vacant lot, and while neighbors know the house needs work, they don’t love a developer’s plan to replace it with condos. "During a night meeting at La Villa Restaurant on January 16, 2020, 3632 N. Pulaski Road, developer R&S Enterprises told a group of neighbors their plans to tear down the home and replace it with three new condo buildings on the 10,937 square-foot lot.  "Neighbors say condos would ruin the block’s character. More than 40 people attended Thursday’s meeting, with most opposed to the condo development. The group hoped showing up would convince Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30th) to reject a zoning change developers would need to build on the block. “That’s the biggest single lot on the block,” said Sean Maloney, who lives on Eddy Street. “If you’re going to grant a zoning exception for that lot you might as well do it for the whole block. Because this is the first domino and it will change the entire block.” "Maloney said he bought a home in the neighborhood seven years ago because of Eddy Street’s aesthetics — big green yards and single family homes. Blocks like these are rare in a big city like Chicago. “Single family homes on double sized lots are becoming increasingly rare in the city,” he said. “That’s why people are moving to the suburbs. In the city there’s no room for kids to play.” (Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 1/17/20) Chicago needs to embrace existing and historic single family homes and preserve them to encourage long-term stakeholder presence in our neighborhoods. The mix of single-family homes with smaller condo apartments and higher density rental units is important to ensure long-term neighborhood stability as smaller condo units often draw short-term investors and stakeholders. Read the Full Story at Block Club Chicago Plan To Replace 105-Year-Old Home On Quaint Irving Park Block With Condos Irks Neighbors; While the developer said the condos would be an affordable addition to the street, neighbors said it would ruin the block's character. Alex V. Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 1/17/20

WIN: Old Ravenswood Hospital to be Adaptively Reused for Housing

Ravenswood Hospital Adaptive Reuse, 4501 N. Winchester Ave. Rendering Credit: Worn Jerabek Wilse Archtiects, P.C.

Old Ravenswood Hospital will be adaptively reused for senior housing. "Evergreen Real Estate Group is converting the vacant 10-story hospital at 4501 N. Winchester Ave. into 119 supportive living apartments and 74 independent living apartments for seniors. "While the former hospital is not an official historic structure, it is an important local landmark and Evergreen plans to revitalize and maintain much of the original structure, said Evergreen’s CEO Jeff Rappin." (Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 1/27/2020) Read the full story at Block Club Chicago Part Of Old Ravenswood Hospital Will Stay When Senior Housing Project Completed; While the hospital is not an official historic structure, it is an important local landmark and parts should be preserved, the developer said. Alex V. Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 1/27/2020

WIN: Iowa Building in Jackson Park Received State Restoration Grant

The limestone Iowa Building in Jackson Park, built by the Works Progress Administration in 1936. Photo Credit: Hyde Park Herald

"Local funds will match a $625,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), providing $1.25 million in restorations, improvements and new construction in Jackson Park. "The Chicago Park District says the money will be used to restore the Iowa Building and to create a new dog park and baseball and softball diamonds. The money comes from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program, which the IDNR administers. “Jackson Park is an essential part of our community, and it has needed maintenance for some time,” he said. “I’m glad the Chicago Park District will receive the funds it needs to give Jackson Park the renovations that the people in our neighborhood who use it deserve.” (Gettinger, Hyde Park Herald, 1/27/2020) While Preservation Chicago supports the investment in the Iowa Building, it’s unfortunate that this grant could not also simultaneously fund the stabilization and repair of the collapsing Comfort Station designed by Daniel Burnham located in Jackson Park on South Shore Drive near 67th Street. The Comfort Station has been in desperate need of stabilization funding and its condition has deteriorated significantly since Preservation Chicago featured it in our Chicago 7 Most Endangered Book in 2017. Perhaps the Obama Foundation could help with this and the many other repairs and improvements needed throughout historic Jackson Park while their application to bulldoze 20 acres of the historic park designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted slowly works its way through the federal Section 106 review process. Read the full story at The Hyde Park Herald Jackson Park grant to fund dog park, Iowa Building repairs, Aaron Gettinger, Hyde Park Herald, 1/27/2020

Daniel Burnham Designed Comfort Station in Jackson Park on South Shore Drive near 67th Street in serious need of stabilization and restoration. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

WIN: After Years of Difficult Advocacy, Lathrop Homes Celebrated (Chicago 7 2013)

Lathrop Homes Restored. Photo Credit: Related Midwest

"Millennials peer into glowing laptops at a coffee shop. A jogger runs across a walkway that swoops over the Chicago River and offers views of the downtown skyline. Handsome brick buildings have been painstakingly restored. "River North? Bucktown? Guess again. "This is a remade public housing project on Chicago’s North Side — the former Julia C. Lathrop Homes, which once was the antithesis of the Chicago Housing Authority’s high-rise hells, but later spiraled into physical decay and worse. “It was very violent,” a 33-year-old resident, Lashaunda Brownlow, who grew up at the Lathrop Homes, told me. Now, he said, “it’s a lot nicer. You don’t see violence like before. The buildings are clean. The grounds are clean." "Hearing endorsements like that and touring the Lathrop Homes’ transformation, I was tempted to label the project, at the intersection of Diversey Parkway and Clybourn Avenue, a great success. (Kamin, Chigago Tribune, 2/6/20) After decades of preservation advocacy, the Julia C. Lathrop Homes is a preservation success. The public housing project’s transformation into a mixed-income community was lead by Chicago Housing Authority and the development team of Related Midwest, Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation and Heartland Housing. The final redevelopment plan included both historic preservation and new construction, but with a significantly higher percentage of preservation than initially proposed. The originally proposed percentage of historic preservation was a tiny fraction of the historic structures, but the final percentage of historic preservation is approximately 75% with hopes for more preservation on the still-to-be-renovated section south of Diversey Avenue. Phase 2 is getting underway and Preservation Chicago will continue to advocate for a preservation-sensitive design. Lathrop Homes has twice been a Preservation Chicago 7 Most Endangered, first in 2007 and again in 2013. Lathrop Homes was one of the first and one of the best public housing developments built in Chicago, resulting in a remarkably stable racially-mixed community for generations. Completed in 1938, the 35-acre park-like site is located along the Chicago River, with its graceful combination of mature landscaping and low-rise and gently ornamented buildings, create an intimate and human-scale atmosphere.    This highly preservation-sensitive outcome is due to a multi-year preservation advocacy campaign by Preservation Chicago, our preservation partners including Landmarks Illinois, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and neighborhood groups such as Logan Square Preservation, Lathrop Homes Advisory Council and Logan Square Neighborhood Association. We applaud the development team for recognizing the history of Lathrop and reshaping their development plans to celebrate and restore much of the site’s architectural assets.  Read the full column at the Chicago Tribune Column: A former North Side public housing project is beautifully remade, but at what cost? Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune, 2/6/20 Apartment Hunt: Restored Lathrop complex retains historical features enhanced by lush green space, glossy finishes, Pamela Dittmer McKuen, Chicago Tribune, 1/17/20

In Memoriam: Terry Tatum

In Memoriam: Longtime Chicago Historic Researcher Terry Tatum

Chicago has lost a leading light in the Chicago Historic Preservation community. Terry Tatum passed away peacefully on January 31, 2020. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Raymond Terry Tatum, please visit the Tree Tribute Store. Details of the memorial service can be found here. Terry Tatum was a highly accomplished historic researcher and wrote over 50 Chicago Landmark Designation reports on many of Chicago's greatest architectural buildings over the course of his career. In addition to his remarkable professional strengths and accomplishments, he was kind, generous, easy to work with and considered a friend by so many of the people who had an opportunity to work with him. He will be dearly missed. "One of Tatum’s first postgraduate jobs was with the Commission on Chicago Landmarks working on the Chicago Historic Resources Survey (CHRS). “They needed some young, energetic preservation professionals,” Tatum recalled, “and really, that was the job that sent me in the direction of my career, because it gave me the informed background that allowed me to make decisions about significance and an understanding of what is and isn’t important architecturally here in Chicago.” "Tatum also shared that while working on the CHRS, he met many of the professionals in historic preservation, architecture, and history who he still knows and works with today, including a number of instructors in SAIC’s Historic Preservation program. “We’re all stars in one constellation,” Tatum joked. “Really, that’s a great thing about this city and this program – you can meet other like-minded professionals and really become part of a community of preservationists who are working in different aspects of the field and are interested in different historic resources.” "Following his six years on the CHRS, Tatum returned to academia, entering a doctoral program in art and architectural history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The flexibility of student life allowed him to teach and do freelance preservation work, including the National Register nomination of the Loop Retail Historic District and a number of landmark designation reports for the city. "On the support of his freelance work and his previous stint as a surveyor, Tatum was re-hired by the city’s Landmarks Division (which by this point provided staff support for the Commission on Chicago Landmarks) as an architectural historian in 2000; within a few years, he was heading up the entire survey and landmark designation program. Between 2000 and his retirement in 2014, Tatum estimates that he researched and wrote upwards of 50 landmark designation reports and managed the legally-complex designation process for them. "Since he first joined the Historic Preservation faculty in 1999, Tatum has taught core classes like Archival Documentation, the History and Theory of Historic Preservation, and the History of American Residential and Institutional Architecture, all of which have a strongly historical and academic focus. For these courses, Tatum draws on his own experience and skills learned as a scholar and as a longtime researcher for the city of Chicago’s Commission on Chicago Landmarks "In retirement, Tatum has focused more on teaching, both at SAIC and Columbia College Chicago, bringing lessons learned from his 30-year preservation career into the classroom. He also continues to work professionally in the field, researching and writing reports in support of Chicago Landmark designations and National Register listings for a variety of private clients.  "Tatum is pleased by the significant growth he’s observed in the field, both here in Chicago and more broadly. “When I was first applying to graduate school, public history didn’t even really exist…and now in Chicago, there’s so much access for young professionals to get experience at lots of different organizations. It’s a city where you can dive richly into all sorts of issues and concerns that inform historic preservation in the wider modern world. And it’s still the architectural center of the United States. You name it, Chicago has it in some form or another.” (Giacomucci, SAIC) Terry Tatum, Lecturer, by Monica Giacomucci, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)

THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay List Highlights

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 City of Chicago Demolition Delay Hold List (2019)

Address: Chicago Town and Tennis Club / Unity Church, 1925 W. Thome Ave. #100855839 Date Received: 12/20/2019 Ward: 40th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman Applicant: Heneghan Wrecking & Excavating Co., Inc. Owner: Misericordia Homes Permit Description: Demolition of a 3-story former church with 1 garage and 2 sheds. Status: Under Review Sign the petition to Save Chicago Town and Tennis Club/ Unity Church

Address: Nordine House, 6106 N. Kenmore Ave. #100854747 Date Received: 12/12/2019 Ward: 48th Ward Alderman Andre Vasquez Applicant: Precision Excavating, LLC Owner: Ron Emmons Permit Description: Wreck and remove a 2-story, masonry residence and detached frame garage. Status: Under Review

Address: 1909 N. Orchard St. #100852560 Date Received: 11/26/2019 Ward: 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith Applicant: GrowCor, LLC Owner: GrowCor, LLC Permit Description: Wreck and removal of a 3-story, masonry, multi-family residential building. Status: Under Review

LOSS: “Spotlight on Demolition” 4832-34 N. Leavitt Street, Lincoln Square

“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

4832-34 N. Leavitt Street (Double Lot), Demolished December 2019. Photo Credit: Google Maps

Preservation In the News

PRINT: Chicago’s Greatest Remaining Gilded Age Mansions in Curbed Chicago

Chicago’s greatest remaining Gilded Age mansions. Photo Credit Jay Koziarz / Curbed Chicago

"The Gilded Age might seem like a distant memory, but not all of the mansions constructed by the city’s well-heeled social elite between the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and the early 20th Century met the indignity of a wrecking ball. Today, many impressive residences designed by architectural greats like H.H. Richardson, George Maher, Henry Ives Cobb, and Richard E. Schmidt still stand. Some look backward in their designs, evoking the grandeur of an idealized Europe in Chateauesque and Baroque styles. Others embraced newly emerging architectural trends of the time such as the Arts & Crafts and Prairie School movements. "Though a number of these historic mansions have been adapted and reused as hotels, offices, museums, or condos, many still serve their original purpose by sheltering a single family. Here are 13 of the most significant examples of Gilded Age mansions still standing in Chicago." (Curbed Chicago, 3/1/19) Read the full article at Curbed Chicago Chicago’s greatest remaining Gilded Age mansions; Surviving remnants of the indulgent bygone era exist throughout the city—if you know where to look, Andrew Schneider and Jay Koziarz, Curbed Chicago, 3/8/19

WATCH: A Look Inside Bridgeport’s Ramova Theatre Ahead of Proposed Renovation  on Chicago Tonight (Chicago 7 2011)

A Look Inside Bridgeport’s Ramova Theatre Ahead of Proposed Renovation. Photo Credit: WTTW Chicago Tonight

“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 about the news 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 its time for its return to Halsted and 35th Street as part of this comprehensive Ramova Theater renovation? Watch the full story at WTTW Chicago Tonight A Look Inside Bridgeport’s Ramova Theatre Ahead of Proposed Renovation, Quinn Myers, WTTW Chicago Tonight, 1/28/20

RADIO: What’s That Building? The Stock Yards Bank on WBEZ Chicago

What’s That Building? The Stock Yards Bank. Photo Credit: WBEZ Chicago 91.5

"The gigantic Stock Yards Bank & Trust building in Canaryville is one of the few visible remnants of the city’s once-booming meatpacking industry. "Built in 1924, the building is a tribute to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were adopted. But while Independence Hall is a thriving tourist site, the Stock Yards Bank building has been empty for more than 20 years. "The colonial-style building (and neighboring Stock Yards Inn) formed a handsome architectural entrance to the vast, dirty yards. These buildings —-- along with the yards’ muscular limestone gates — helped portray the old stockyards as more than the bloody pens and killing floors Upton Sinclair wrote about in his 1906 book The Jungle. In reality, the yards were a huge commercial center that generated wealth across the country. "The bank moved out in 1965, the stockyards closed in 1971 and today the empty main floor is lined with piles of terra cotta fragments that were removed from the façade. "The city has been trying to sell the building for two decades, but the vast, open layout is a challenge. Some of the ideas that had been floated for the building include turning the former bank into a steakhouse, gym, new bank, green energy facility, museum and even an urban camping area. "WBEZ took a tour of the building with Chicago planning official Bob Wolf. Here's a look inside." (Rodkin, 1/10/20) Preservation Chicago has been seeking a new owner for the Stock Yards Bank building, a Designated Chicago Landmark, for many years. More recently, Preservation Chicago had encouraged Vienna Beef to convert the building into their new headquarters and museum, but interest waned after months of repeated and unsuccessful requests that the City of Chicago pump the water out of the basement to allow a full building inspection. Hear the full story and see all the photos at WBEZ Chicago 91.5 Morning Shift, What’s That Building? The Stock Yards Bank, Dennis Rodkin, WBEZ Chicago 91.5, 1/10/20

MISSING: Chicago Schlitz Tied House Owners Need Help Finding One-of-a-Kind Window

Schlitz Tied House, Charles Thisslew, 1907, 9401 S. Ewing Avenue. Missing stained glasss window. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

"Last year, Laura Coffey Medina and her husband Michael Medina bought a gorgeous, triangular former Schlitz tied house tavern at 9401 S. Ewing Ave. on Chicago's South Side that they are working to reopen sometime this year. "Designed by architect Charles Thisslew and likely built in 1907, the saloon was one of nearly 60 that the Milwaukee brewer erected in the Windy City. Five of the surviving examples – not counting this one – were landmarked by the city in 2011. "Tied houses used distinctive and high-quality architecture to carve out brand identity and convey an air of respectability. Their substantial buildings were nearly always sited on valuable real estate at prominent corners, where the side doors that could be kept open overnight and on Sundays just so happened to face a street too." "The Ewing Avenue tavern has many surviving details of that high-quality approach, including a terra cotta belted Schlitz globe displayed prominently on its front, original tin ceilings, original glass wall sconces, a stunning back bar and objects like a candlestick phone so old it doesn't even have a dial and a sign dating likely to the 1930s declaring the place a "union bar." "The building retains many of its beautiful original features," Medina told me. "We are keeping and refurbishing everything original we can." However, one prominent thing is now gone: the large, arched Schlitz globe stained glass window from the Ewing side of the building. "At some point between 2016 and January 2017, the original stained glass Schlitz window was removed from the bar. After that, the building sat unaltered and unused until we bought it from the investor group in 2019." "It's unclear who removed and sold the window. Medina has heard that the stained glass window was sold to a collector in Milwaukee, but that's just a rumor. Maybe. "We don't know," says Medina, "but we've heard this from multiple people." "Despite the fact that a number of former Schlitz tied houses survive in the Windy City, that window was the last remaining Schlitz tied house stained glass window in Chicago, Medina says. "So this is extremely sad from a historical standpoint, especially since all the other tied houses are landmarked and we want to landmark ours, as well," Medina says. "We are planning to have it recreated if we can't recover it," she says, "but obviously the original is what belongs on the building for all time." (Tanzilo, OnMilwaukee.com, 1/22/20) Read the full story with many photos at OnMilwaukee.com Chicago Schlitz tied house owners need help finding one-of-a-kind window, Bobby Tanzilo, OnMilwaukee.com, 1/22/20

PRINT: A Better Remedy for Chicago's Affordable Housing Shortage. How about Rewarding Developers for Building Outside the Hottest Neighborhoods? in Crain's Chicago Business

3600 W. Douglas Boulevard. Photo Credit: Google Maps

"Gentrification is driving up housing costs in areas like Logan Square and Pilsen, as developers convert humble two-flats and bungalows into high-end homes of the type you expect to see in Chicago’s most exclusive enclaves. "As moderately priced homes disappear from more neighborhoods, people of modest means have a harder time finding a place to live. "ARO is only one tool for advancing that goal, and its effectiveness is limited to areas where developers already want to build. Beefing up ARO requirements might increase racial diversity in expensive parts of town—a clear goal of Lightfoot’s—but won’t have much impact on a major cause of Chicago’s affordability gap: disinvestment in outlying neighborhoods across the city. "Acres of affordable housing have fallen into disrepair or disappeared altogether as capital flight and population loss decimated vast swaths of the South and West sides. Jacking up ARO levels might provide a few more tickets out of those areas, but won’t create large numbers of new affordable units, or serve Lightfoot’s broader aims of reducing inequality and reversing the overall population decline in Chicago. "What’s needed are policies that reward developers for building outside the hottest neighborhoods. Tools such as low-income housing tax credits and low-cost home loans help spur rehabilitation of older homes and new construction in areas ripe for redevelopment. ARO alone, by contrast, largely leaves those neighborhoods to their fate. "Investment in affordable housing would bring people back to places like Englewood and Lawndale, which account for most of Chicago’s recent population drop-off. Initiatives such as the Renew Woodlawn program show the potential for rebirth in areas long abandoned by traditional developers. "Yes, many of those neighborhoods suffer from high crime, failing schools and poverty. But investment in housing is an important first step toward addressing those problems. "Economics also favor construction of affordable homes in neglected areas, where builders can get real estate at prices that reduce development costs. Lower costs allow developers to build lots of homes and make a profit selling them at affordable prices. More affordable homes, faster—that’s the way to defuse a housing affordability crisis." (Cahill, Crains, 1/21/20) Read the full story at Crain's Chicago Business A better remedy for Chicago's affordable housing shortage How about rewarding developers for building outside the hottest neighborhoods? Joe Cahill, Crain's Chicago Business, 1/21/2020

PRINT: Wait, Are Two-Flats Only A Chicago Thing? Why These Uniquely Chicago Homes Have Thrived For A Century in Block Club Chicago

Chicago Two Flats. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

"Few things scream “Chicago” like a row of two-flats. They’re one of the most common housing types in the city, said Adam Rubin, the Chicago Architecture Center’s director of interpretation. They’ve been popular for a century and played a key role in the history of Chicago’s immigrant communities. And you can’t find flats outside Chicago — at least not in such numbers. The term “two-flat” isn’t even used (or, at least, googled) outside Illinois, according to Google Trends data. "Two-flats started becoming popular in the early 1900s, Rubin said. Geoff Smith, the executive director of DePaul’s Institute for Housing Studies, said more than 90 percent of the city’s two-flats are at least 75 years old. Flats were largely built by people, many of them immigrants or first-generation Americans, who weren’t wealthy but who were “upwardly mobile,” Rubin said. "Two-flats were particularly useful to these new homeowners because they could live on one floor while renting out another to pay down the mortgage, Rubin said.That unique setup also means flats tended to be more affordable for tenants, Smith said, and flats became “really important” affordable housing stock in many neighborhoods. "Historically, “these owners are perhaps less profit-driven and more relationship-driven, in some cases,” Smith said. “They’re trying to find good tenants, and ownership costs … of the building may be lower because they’ve been owned by the same family for a while [so] they don’t necessarily have a high level of mortgage debt to repay.” (Bauer, Block Club Chicago, 2/18/2019) Read the full story at Block Club Chicago Wait, Are Two-Flats Only A Chicago Thing? Why These Uniquely Chicago Homes Have Thrived For A Century; Despite their history as affordable options for working families, two-flats are "in distress" as people convert them into single-family homes. Kelly Bauer, Block Club Chicago, 2/18/2019)

VIDEO: Perspectives from The Chicago Maroon: Reporting on the Obama Presidential Center

Perspectives: Reporting on the Obama Presidential Center, Video essay from The Chicago Maroon

Emma Dyer, news editor at the Chicago Maroon, has reported on the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) for over two years. She discusses her experiences reporting, the history of the OPC and its various stakeholders, the political economics of the project and more. Watch the full story at The Chicago Maroon Perspectives: Reporting on the Obama Presidential Center, The Chicago Maroon, 10/22/19

WATCH: History Museum Acquires 5 Million Photos from Chicago Sun-Times on Chicago Tonight

History Museum Acquires 5 Million Photos from Chicago Sun-Times, Jay Shefsky, WTTW Chicago Tonight, 1/28/20. Image Credit: WTTW Chicago

"Journalism, we often hear, is a “first draft of history.” That makes old newspaper photos an excellent window into the past. "Recently, the Chicago History Museum added five million photos to its collection through the acquisition of Chicago Sun-Times photographs spanning 75 years. “Anything you can imagine happening in Chicago was what these photographers were covering,” said John Russick, Chicago History Museum senior vice-president for interpretation and education. They’re out there taking pictures of everyday Chicago life, big events, political events, disasters, joyous times. It’s the history, it’s the life of the city.” "While the museum continues the enormous task of processing and cataloging the photos, it has so far made 1,000 of them available on its website.“The goal is to mine this collection and make sure that at the very least people know what we have and if they want to access it we’ll eventually be able to make it all available,” he said. "Russick says he has been struck by the quality of the images.“You think of a newspaper photo archive as being potentially just a lot of photos of things – places and people and events – but these were craftsman. The photographers were remarkably skilled makers of art,” Russick said. “Some of the images are mind boggling; so beautifully crafted and well composed.” (WTTW, 1/28/2020) Watch the full story at WTTW Chicago Tonight History Museum Acquires 5 Million Photos from Chicago Sun-Times, Jay Shefsky, WTTW Chicago Tonight, 1/28/20

PRINT: Chicago’s 10 most senseless demolitions, mapped; From groundbreaking early skyscrapers to sprawling rail terminals in Curbed Chicago

Chicago’s 10 most senseless demolitions, mapped; From groundbreaking early skyscrapers to sprawling rail terminals, Jay Koziarz, Curbed Chicago, 2/6/20. Image Credit: Curbed Chicago

"For a city that prides itself on its architectural legacy, Chicago has a mixed track record when it comes to saving its significant buildings. The city’s historic preservation movement didn’t always exist. It took the work of dedicated pioneers like photographer Richard Nickel to document what was being torn down and shock the public and city officials into taking action. “Great architecture has only two natural enemies,” said Nickel. “Water and stupid men.” "From its humble roots as a riverfront trading post to an industrial boomtown, Chicago’s been in a constant state of change. One downside to the city’s reinvention has been at the expense of the significant early skyscrapers, ornate theaters, gilded mansions, and grand rail halls lost along the way. "It might seem inconceivable to discard works from the firms of architectural icons Louis Sullivan, Dankmar Adler, or Daniel Burnham, but that wasn’t always the case. Even today, debates continue over what can and should be saved—especially when certain styles, like 1980s postmodernism displayed by buildings like the threatened Thompson Center, fall out of fashion. "With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, it can be frustrating to see what has been so callously discarded. A loss is even more painful if the replacement is a building of lesser value or—in the case of the Old Chicago Mercantile Exchange—nothing at all. There are lessons to be learned to avoid past mistakes." "...The senseless demolition of so many historic Loop buildings during the so-called “urban renewal” period of 60s and 70s certainly stings. But the more recent loss of the 1927 Chicago Mercantile Exchange in 2003 is borderline inexcusable. Designed by architect Alfred S. Alschuler, the building was in good shape and essentially fully occupied when its owners abruptly decided to tear it down. At the time, Preservation Chicago feared the location would “become yet another surface parking lot for the foreseeable future, in place of this landmark-worthy structure.” Thirteen years later, the site at 130 N. Franklin is still a fenced-off lot filled with gravel and weeds. The outrage caused by the destruction of the Mercantile Exchange led the city to adopt a 90-day demolition hold for historic and architecturally significant buildings that don’t have landmark protection." (Koziarz, 2/6/20) Read the full story with Photos at Curbed Chicago Chicago’s 10 most senseless demolitions, mapped; From groundbreaking early skyscrapers to sprawling rail terminals, Jay Koziarz, Curbed Chicago, 2/6/20

PETITIONS & SUPPORT

Change.org Petition: Save the Chicago Town & Tennis Club/Unity Church!

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

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. Misericordia desires to build additional housing units to accommodate individuals with developmental disabilities. Their current plan provides 150 new units, but it has a waitlist of more than 300 individuals. By allowing a higher-density zoning on existing Misericordia land as well as the Chicago Town & Tennis Club 3.5-acre site, Misericordia could build more than the 150 units currently planned and partially offset its $7.5 million purchase price for the historic club by selling the building to a private developer. The historic building occupies only a small area of the 3.5 acre site.  Misericordia has applied for a demolition permit for the Chicago Town & Tennis Club. Because the building is orange-rated on the Chicago Historic Resource Survey (indicating its high level of historic significance), a 90-day demolition hold has been placed on the permit application. The delay will expire in March 2020 at which time a demolition permit will be released.  BACKGROUND The Chicago Town & Tennis Club was designed by architect George W. Maher in 1924. George W. Maher is an important Chicago architect and was a contemporary of legendary architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. The historic building and extensive gardens were constructed in the Tudor revival style and modeled on the Wimbledon tennis club in England. After it became the Unity Church, the historic building was carefully and comprehensively restored in 2002 by Vinci-Hamp Architects which converted the dining room into its magnificent sanctuary and other rooms into an art gallery and a social hall.  The historic building retains much of its original character including its vaulted ceilings and grand ceilings, stained glass, decorative tile, and ornamental plasterwork. On the exterior of the building, its high gables, half-timbering, slate roof and decorative brickwork all remain including the original stone carvings depicting a pair of tennis rackets. The building is orange-rated per the Chicago Historic Resources Survey which confirms its important architectural significance to the West Ridge community and Chicago. In addition to the proposal to change zoning density to accommodate more units of housing on Misericordia’s property, some other options include: Option 1. A land swap with the Chicago Park District and the adjacent Emmerson Park. Misericordia would receive vacant land to build the addition residential units and the Chicago Park District would receive the Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church building. The historic building would become the new Emmerson Park Field House and provide much needed services to the West Ridge Community that the Chicago Park District’s current modest shed building cannot support. The Chicago Park District could include the historic building on its list of event spaces throughout Chicago that are able to be rented for weddings and other celebrations. This is an important amenity for the wider Chicago community and one which generates significant income for the Chicago Park District to support operations. Other than the need to provide elevator ADA access to the second floor, the historic building is in excellent condition. This use could be quickly implemented as it has been successfully hosting events and celebrations for decades as Unity Church. Option 2. If Misericordia wishes to retain the historic building, in addition to using the building for its program delivery, the nonprofit could host weddings and events to generate additional revenues to support their mission and operations. Misericordia residents with developmental disabilities could gain valuable work experience though employment during these events. Lastly, this use would serve to better integrate the Misericordia and West Ridge communities. Option 3. Misericordia could donate the building to the Chicago Park District. The historic building could be moved a few hundred feet to the adjacent Emerson Park, a Chicago Park District park. Although logistically the most complicated, such a donation could provide a substantial benefit to the wider West Ridge community and also divert a great deal of materials from ending up in landfills. A larger facility would be a substantial community asset. The saved cost of demolition could be used to offset a portion of the cost to move the historic building. Initial estimates suggest that the cost of demolition and the cost of relocation are comparable. Historic preservation is about saving historic places and meeting the needs of the people in the community. This does not have to be an either/or decision. With some creative thinking and planning, Misericordia can grow its facilities to serve more clients, and Chicago’s incredible historic built environment can live on for another 100 years for people to enjoy. SIGN THE PETITION! Save the Chicago Town & Tennis Club/Unity Church

Minnekirken GoFundMe Campaign Launched for Restoration Project

Minnekirken Restoration GoFundMe Campaign

"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." Support the Campaign! Learn more about The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church (aka Minnekirken)

Raise the Roof! Fund The Forum! Fundraising Campaign

The Forum, 318-328 East 43rd Street, Samuel A. Treat of Treat & Foltz Architects, 1897. Photo Credit: The Forum Bronzeville

"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." Help fund the Raise the Roof! Fund The Forum! by Urban Juncture Foundation Read more and see photos at The Forum Bronzeville website

EVENTS

Neil Harris discusses “Chicago Apartments: A Century and Beyond of Lakefront Luxury" at the Union League Club of Chicago Wed, March 25, 2020 at 5:30

“Chicago Apartments: A Century and Beyond of Lakefront Luxury" by Neil Harris.

The Chicago lakefront is one of America’s urban wonders. The ribbon of high-rise luxury apartment buildings along the Lake Michigan shore has few, if any, rivals nationwide for sustained architectural significance. This historic confluence of site, money, style, and development lies at the heart of the updated edition of Neil Harris’s “Chicago Apartments: A Century and Beyond of Lakefront Luxury.” Dr. Harris is the Preston and Sterling Morton Professor of History and Art History Emeritus at the University of Chicago. His co-editor Teri J. Edelstein is a distinguished art historian and museum professional. The cocktail reception with light appetizers and cash bar will start at 5:30 pm. Books will be available for purchase and signing by the authors. The program will start at 6:00 pm followed by additional time for book purchase and signing. The price for this event is $20 per person which does not include the cost of the book. For questions call Club Services at 800.443.0578 or contact librarian@ulcc.org. Please note that the dress code for this event is "Smart Casual." Wed, March 25, 2020 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM Union League Club of Chicago 65 W Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604 Purchase $20 Tickets at this link

LOST CHICAGO...BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Cable Building (Chicago) by Holabird & Roche Built 1899. Demolished 1961.

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago, IL), 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave., by Holabird & Roche. Built in 1899. Demolished in 1961. Historic Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives Archival Image Collection, Richard Nickel Archive

Cable Building (Chicago) Architect: Holabird & Roche Location: 57 E. Jackson Blvd. at S. Wabash Ave. Built: 1899 Demolished: 1961 "The former Cable Building (later the Hoops), at the southeast corner of Wabash Avenue and Jackson Boulevard, was completed in 1899. Here the Chicago window was replaced by a group of four narrow openings of sliding sash separated by thin mullions. A suggestion of the Marquette was apparent in the way the heavy corner piers and the cornice enframed the otherwise light and graceful elevations. An unusual feature of the Cable were the continuous openings at the first and second stories.  “The Cable Building was demolished in 1960 and 1961 to make way for the twenty-two story addition to the Continental Company Building, which fronts on Michigan Avenue. Since it was the first of four victims to the wave of destruction that hit Chicago architecture at the end of that year, the city and various professional societies acted quickly to save what they could of its appearance and structural character. In November, 1960, the city’s Commission on Chicago Landmarks and the Chicago chapters of the American Institute of Architects and the Society of Architectural Historians cooperated to preserve portions of the Cable’s rich spandrel ornament and the beaded work on the piers and sills at the second story. "The various societies involved in their enterprise believed that it was the first time an American city acted to preserve a physical fragment of its architectural heritage. At the same time, Richard Nickel made his customary painstaking photographic record of the interior and exterior of the building, and the Landmarks Commission and the architects of the new Continental Building, C.F. Murphy Associates, assembled for preservation the original plans and the data on the genesis, construction, and subsequent history of the building. It is questionable whether the architecture of the Chicago School can survive an expanding economy, but it seems at least likely to become the best recorded phase of our building history.” (The Chicago School of Architecture, Carl Condit, pages 125-126, first published in 1964)

SUPPORT

Every Donation Counts. Please Support Preservation Chicago !

Demolition of Crawford Power Station, by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, built 1926. Demolished May 2019. Photo Credit: Mary Lu Seidel / Preservation Chicago

Be Generous! Donate to Preservation Chicago to support our tireless advocacy!  Spread the Word! Read and share our Facebook , Twitter and Instagram posts!   Be Informed! Sign up to receive the Month-in-Review eNewsletter!   Be Heard! Attend community meetings and make your voice heard!   Be Counted! Take a moment to sign our online petitions!   THANK YOU from your friends at Preservation Chicago!

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. Thank you from your friends at Preservation Chicago for your support of the mission of Preservation Chicago and our tireless advocacy.  Your financial support allows Preservation Chicago to advocate every day to protect historic buildings throughout Chicago. For a small non-profit, every dollar counts. Preservation Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit so your donation is tax-deductible as permitted by law. Donating is fast, easy and directly helps the efforts to protect Chicago’s historic legacy. For larger donors wishing to support Preservation Chicago, please contact Ward Miller regarding the Preservation Circle details and a schedule of events. wmiller@preservationchicago.org or 312-443-1000.  www.PreservationChicago.org 

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