May 2020 Month-in-Review Newsletter

"Stay Strong Chicago," projection onto Merchandise Mart in Spring 2020. Designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White in 1930. The largest building in the world when it was built with over 4 million square feet. Photo Credit: Gabriel X. Michael

Table of Contents

ADVOCACY Chicago 7 Overview and Full Videos THREATENED: Chicago Town and Tennis Club / Unity Church WIN:Superior Street Rowhouse District THREATENED: Chicago Town and Tennis Club / Unity Church WIN: Clarendon Park Community Center Renovation WIN: Central Camera Owner Vows to Rebuild After Looting and Arson WIN: Old Fashioned Donuts Will Be Stronger Than Before THREATENED: Preservation Chicago Calls for Demolition Halt for Crawford Station  THREATENED: Demolition Permit Released for Jeffery Theater and Spencer Arms Hotel WIN: Chicago Tribune Editorial - Cook County Hospital is a Stunning Trauma Survivor THREATENED: Pilsen Landmark District In Jeopardy - Arguments For and Against THREATENED: After Downzoning, East Andersonville Faces First Challenge WIN: Old Post Office Partners Add Concerts, Cultural Events and Food Hall WIN: Tribune Tower Redevelopment Plans Move Forward THREATENED: New Residential High-Rise Tower Tower Approved To Replace Cassidy Tire Building LOSS: McKinley Park Wrigley Factory Demolished for Truck Cross-Dock Warehouse THREATENED: Jackson Park Obama Center Lawsuit Moving Through Appeals Court LOSS: Former Dairy in Lincoln Park To Be Demolished WIN: Restoration Begins on Givins Castle in Beverly WIN: Two Former Logan Square Religious Buildings Becoming Apartments THREATENED: Preservation Chicago Releases Demolition Best Practice Guidelines In Response to Crawford Demolition Debacle  THREATENED: The South Side Swedish Club Listed For Sale WIN: Historic home at 4649 N. Beacon Goes Under Contract THREATENED: 4607 N. Magnolia Avenue Needs a Preservation-Oriented Buyer!  LOSS: Fire Destroys Apartment Building In Auburn Gresham LOSS: Yesterday Antique Shop Demolished THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay LOSS: Spotlight on Demolition NEWS PRINT:Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Chicago’s ‘Other’ Michigan Avenue Could Be Magnificent Once More RADIO: Bed Rest And Sputum Tests: Inside Chicago's Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium WATCH: April 5, 1968, a poem by Eve L. Ewing 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: Imagine a New Emmerson Park Fieldhouse - Save the Chicago Town & Tennis Club PETITION: Implosion Devastates Little Village During COVID-19 Pandemic SUPPORT Help Restore Louis Sullivan's Holy Trinity Cathedral Support Glessner House & Receive William Morris Face Mask Support "Saving the Sacred" Film Minnekirken GoFundMe Campaign Raise the Roof! Fund The Forum! Campaign PROGRAMS Which are Your Favorite Neighborhood Buildings in Chicago? SUPPORT Chicago 7 Posters and Swag Now on Sale Please Support Preservation Chicago

Advocacy

WATCH: "Chicago 7 Most Endangered" Overview and Full Presentation

2020 'Chicago 7 Most Endangered' Video Overview (3:17) Image Credit: Preservation Chicago

2020 'Chicago 7 Most Endangered' Video Unabridged Recording (55:28) presented to live capacity audience at the Preservation Chicago 2020 'Chicago 7 Most Endangered' announcement, February 26, 2020. Image Credit: Preservation Chicago

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

WIN: Once a Lost Cause Preservation Effort, Superior Street Rowhouses Now Part of Near North Side Chicago Landmark District

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 Chicago City Council. The Superior Street Rowhouses were saved from demolition by the 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: Preservation Chicago Raising Funds To Move Chicago Town and Tennis 250 Feet Out of Harms Way (Chicago 7 2020)

Please Sign the Petition to Save Chicago Town and Tennis Club / Unity Church

Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church, 1925, George W. Maher and Son, 1925 W. Thome Avenue. Photo Credit: Dan Paterno / Paterno Group

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

New Emmerson Park Fieldhouse/Chicago Town and Tennis Club/Unity Church Call to Action Flyer. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago

Link to petition to Save Chicago Town and Tennis Club / Unity Church 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 cost approximately $1.5 million, including $550,000 to move the building, $500,000 to build a new foundation, and about $450,000 to upgrade the building interior. Preservation Chicago urges the City of Chicago and Chicago Park District to quickly 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. As recently as May 20, 2020, Chicago Department of Planning and Development announced the funding for four more park projects. We strongly support these park projects but don’t leave Emmerson Park out! Brighton Park, $50 million to support A new Chicago Park District headquarters and park space Clarendon Park, $13 million to support renovations to Clarendon Park fieldhouse Williams Park, $6 million to support a new Williams Park fieldhouse. Blackhawk Park, $3 million to support renovations to the Blackhawk Park fieldhouse. Avondale Park, $2.9 million to support renovations to the Avondale Park fieldhouse. Kosciusko Park $1.8 million to support renovations to the Kosciusko Park fieldhouse. Revere Park $1.5 million to support renovations to the Revere Park fieldhouse. Chopin Park, $700,000 to support renovations to Chopin Park fieldhouse. The Chicago Park District can spend $50 million on a new headquarters, but can't find $1.5 million to save this endangered building from demolition by moving it onto the adjacent park and making it the new Emmerson Park Fieldhouse? From Outhouse to Fieldhouse! Our Kids Deserve Better. Today, children's programming at Emmerson Park in Chicago is held in a former public restroom building that’s been converted into a tiny fieldhouse. The children of West Ridge have been promised a proper fieldhouse in Emmerson Park for decades. Yet, there never seem to be enough funds for this small park in a diverse, working class neighborhood of Chicago. The converted restroom shed building is extremely deficient. Half the structure is still restrooms and the other half has a small office and tiny community room. Mops and buckets are still stored in the hallway. This sub-standard building is an embarrassment to the City of Chicago and Chicago Park District. This building is too small and can only hold a small number of children. There are always long waitlists for most after-school, summer camp, and park district programs. Park district staff do their best, but they simply don’t have the space. Due to crossing gang turfs, kids and parents hesitate to attend other parks in other neighborhoods. Enough is enough! Meanwhile, 250 feet away from Emmerson Park is the historic Chicago Town & Tennis Club building. This gorgeous, 1920s-era tennis clubhouse building with vaulted ceilings, slate roof, and grand ballrooms was recently used as a church and hosted wedding receptions. This beautiful, recently restored, high-quality building is scheduled to be BULLDOZED in June 2020. It would be the perfect Emmerson Park Fieldhouse….if it can be moved out of harms way in time! New fieldhouses in Chicago often cost from $15 to $20 million. Maintenance on existing fieldhouse costs far less, often from $1 to $3 million. Relocation would be a fraction of the cost of new construction. The cost to physically move the Chicago Town & Tennis Club building into Emmerson Park and make ADA upgrades is $1.5 million. This cost includes $550,000 to move the building, $500,000 to build a new foundation, and about $450,000 to upgrade the building interior. For literally “ten cents on the dollar” the children of West Ridge can have the amazing fieldhouse they deserve. The City of Chicago and Chicago Park District must ACT NOW and find the funds to relocate the Chicago Town & Tennis Club into Emmerson Park. Put your money where your mouth is! Preservation Chicago has been hard at work and has already secured pledges for approximately $250,000 of the relocation cost from Chicago-based foundations who recognize this incredible opportunity for the children of West Ridge. 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 and TIF funding. The building is orange-rated and would qualify for Chicago Landmark Designation, Adopt-a-Landmark funds and other landmark incentives. It is adjacent to the Clark/Ridge TIF District which could potentially be another funding source. Additionally, the Chicago Park District could rent out the beautiful historic building’s ballrooms for wedding receptions; much like Cafe Brauer in Lincoln Park which is a huge revenue generator. Relocating the picturesque Tudor Revival style Chicago Town & Tennis Club building is a perfect solution for Emmerson Park and the West Ridge community. Located at 1925 W. Thome in Chicago, it was designed in 1924 by legendary architects George Maher and his son Philip Maher (contemporaries of Frank Lloyd Wright). George Maher was a seminal figure in both the Prairie style and the Arts & Crafts style movements across America. This is an incredible opportunity to relocate a historic building and provide a safe haven for kids, expand after-school and camp programs to serve all of the children in the community. "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) Sign the petition to Save Chicago Town and Tennis Club/ Unity Church Read the full Chicago Town and Tennis Club reuse options in the Chicago 7 2020 write-up  City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, TIF Assistance Approved for Park Improvement Projects, Press Release 5/20/20

WIN: Clarendon Park Community Center Renovation Receives City Council Approval (Chicago 7 2015)

Clarendon Park Community Center Restoration Rendering. Rendering Credit: Williams Architects

"A $13 million renovation of the historic Clarendon Park Community Center in Uptown is moving forward after the City Council voted to fund the project with $7 million in tax incremental financing funds. "The community center, 4501 N. Clarendon Ave., will see a massive overhaul that will refurbish the 1916 structure and improve community amenities. The gym will be renovated, the lobby rebuilt and there will be a new outdoor gathering space. "Renovations at the park field house are badly needed, and the structure’s deteriorating condition led it to be included in a 2015 list of the city’s 'most threatened' historic buildings. The renovations are now moving forward — thanks to the help of a controversial tax increment financing, or TIF, district. "The City Council on Wednesday approved the use of $6.9 million from the Montrose/Clarendon TIF for the project. "After assessing the building’s needs in 2016, the park district held a community meeting in 2018 to discuss publicly plans to refurbish the structure or build a new community center. Uptown neighbors overwhelming supported renovating the existing building. In 2019, the city and neighbors settled on a limited remodel of the community center. "'I took many political hits to make this happen, but the kids in the Uptown neighborhood deserve this, especially when the nearby field houses in higher wealth neighborhoods were miles better,' Ald. James Cappleman (46th), who supported the apartment development, wrote on Facebook. 'This win feels good.' "When it debuted to the public in 1916, Clarendon Park fronted the lake, and the field house served thousands of swimmers and beachgoers. In the late 1930s, the park district expanded Lincoln Park to Foster, eliminating Clarendon’s lake frontage. The city then converted the facility into a community center. In 1972, a major renovation project led to the building’s signature towers being removed, which eventually led to water infiltration and roof issues." (Ward, 5/21/20) Read the full story at Block Club Chicago $13 Million Renovation Of Clarendon Park Community Center Moving Forward: ‘This Win Feels Good’, The 104-year-old field house will see a new public gathering space, a renovated gym and new wheelchair accessibility, Joe Ward, Block Club Chicago, 5/21/20

WIN: Central Camera Owner Vows to Rebuild After Arson

Central Camera the morning after the fire. Photo Credit: Serhii Chrucky

Extraordinary Interview with Central Camera Owner During Arson Fire. Credit: CBS 2 Chicago

The Loop’s iconic Central Camera went up in flames during Saturday night’s unrest, but the third-generation owner is vowing to rebuild “and make it just as good or better.” The camera shop, founded in 1899 and at its current location at 230 S. Wabash Ave. since 1929, was among numerous downtown businesses that sustained major damage as violence erupted amid unrest in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Windows were smashed, goods stolen and buildings set ablaze. Owner Don Flesch, whose grandfather started Central Camera, expressed no anger at the demonstrators even as he watched his shop’s neon sign shrouded in smoke. “It’s what’s going on, it’s reality, so you deal with it. It’s that simple,” Flesch, 72, said during an interview with CBS 2 Saturday night. (Elejalde-Ruiz, Chicago Tribune, 5/31/20) Link to Central Camera Company Rebuild GoFundMe Campaign Additional Reading Central Camera, iconic Loop business for 121 years, vows to rebuild as building burns during unrest over George Floyd death, Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, Chicago Tribune, 5/31/20 Owner Vows To Rebuild After Central Camera Fire, Charlie De Mar, CBS 2 Chicago, 5/31/20

WIN: Despite Vandalism, Old Fashioned Donuts Will Be Stronger Than Before Thanks to Successful GoFundMe Campaign

Owner Buritt Bulloch making donuts, Old Fashioned Donuts, 11248 S. Michigan Avenue in Roseland. Photo Credit: Ward Miller

Owner Buritt Bulloch making donuts, Old Fashioned Donuts, 11248 S. Michigan Avenue in Roseland. Photo Credit: Ward Miller

Old Fashioned Donuts, 11248 S. Michigan Avenue in Roseland. Photo Credit: Ward Miller

"Over the past 47 years, Old Fashioned Donuts in Roseland has become a staple of the Roseland/Pullman community. But as riots ensued in different parts of the city, Old Fashioned was one of the many businesses in the Far South Side to be affected by the looting and vandalism. "This led Leda Edwards and her cousin Drejauna Bulloch, to set up a GoFundMe page where the initial goal was $1,000 dollars to repair the broken storefront windows. In less than 24 hours more than $10,000 had been raised. Within a day, more than $15,000. "'People just keep donating even after they realized that we reached our goal,' said Edwards. "According to Tina Bulloch, manager of Old Fashioned and mother of Edwards, an anonymous customer has offered to pay for both windows and asked that the money be used to upgrade the establishment. "There’s a lot we need to fix including our AC, our roof and our floor. We were not expecting this many donations at all and I really appreciate that especially seeing the smile on my grandfather’s face.' "Despite needing new windows, Old Fashioned will continue to stay open from 6 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. "'To all of our patrons and friends, I am so eternally grateful to each and every one of you for hanging in here with me all these years,' Buritt Bulloch said via the official Old Fashioned Facebook page. 'My motto: You keep buying, we will keep frying!'" (Maynez, Block Club Chicago) Old Fashioned Donuts is a Chicago Legacy Business on South Michigan Avenue in Roseland, a 2020 Preservation Chicago 7 Most Endangered. The campaign raised nearly $26,000. Link to Old Fashioned Donuts GoFundMe Campaign Additional Reading After Vandal Smashed Old Fashioned Donuts Window, Fans Of Beloved Business Just Keep Giving Money: “To all of our patrons and friends, I am so eternally grateful to each and every one of you for hanging in here with me all these years,” owner Buritt Bulloch said, Maria Maynez, Block Club Chicago, 6/3/20

THREATENED: Preservation Chicago Calls for Adaptive Reuse of Turbine Hall Facade and Enforcement of Demolition Halt of Crawford Station (Chicago 7 2014 & 2019)

Portion of Turbine Hall at Crawford Power Station Still Standing on April 16, 2020. Photo Credit: Ward Miller

Despite City Ordered Demolition Halt, Significant Portion of Turbine Hall at Crawford Power Station Has Been Demolished as photographed on May 30, 2020. Photo Credit: Mary Lu Seidel

Portion of Turbine Hall at Crawford Power Station Still Standing on April 16, 2020. Photo Credit: Ward Miller

Despite City Ordered Demolition Halt, Significant Portion of Turbine Hall at Crawford Power Station Has Been Demolished as photographed on May 30, 2020. Photo Credit: Mary Lu Seidel

Despite City Ordered Demolition Halt, Significant Portion of Turbine Hall at Crawford Power Station Has Been Demolished as photographed on May 30, 2020. Photo Credit: Mary Lu Seidel

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 chimney stack 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.” Following the demolition implosion debacle, Mayor Lightfoot and the City of Chicago halted the demolition of Crawford Station. However, the photographic evidence is clear that demolition continued. Significant portions of the Crawford Station Turbine Hall were removed during the time of the demolition halt. Hilco is not operating in good faith and must be held accountable. Now, the City of Chicago Department of Buildings claims that the remaining structure is unsafe and must be demolished. The structure would have been much more stable had the demolition halt been enforced. Additionally, the front facade of Turbine Hall and the forward section of the return along both sides of the structure appear sound and stable. Prior to the commencement of any additional demolition work, a structural analysis of this section should be conducted by a third-party structural engineering firm. If the facade is confirmed as stable, then it should should be reinforced and braced prior to any additional demolition work taking place. The facade should be protected and incorporated into any final development at the site. "City officials gave Heneghan Wrecking Co. permission to demolish the former turbine building at the power plant. Inspectors determined 'the small building poses a public safety hazard because the building is structurally unsound and must be dismantled. A planned demolition of a building at the former Crawford Power Plant will take place June 5, after being delayed nearly three weeks after protests erupted and the local alderman objected, company officials announced. (Cherone, WTTW) "While officials say the building is dangerous and must be demolished, one participant took issue with that. Mary Lu Seidel, who works with Preservation Chicago, said the building could be stabilized and reimagined with a new building behind it that could serve as a symbol of Hilco Global’s commitment to the community. "'Turbine hall is a significant historic structure,' Seidel said. (In 2019, Preservation Chicago named the Crawford Power Station to its most endangered buildings list.) '(I’ve) seen much more unstable buildings stabilized and restored. The city should command Hilco to do that with turbine hall.' "Frydland said the building was 'structurally unsound,' and while the city has worked with Preservation Chicago on other projects, 'they were not in the condition of this building. This is an extremely hazardous and dangerous condition.'" (Thometz, 5/24/20) “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 facade, which is still standing. Crawford's Turbine Hall facade 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. Additional Reading Building at Former Crawford Power Plant to be Demolished June 5, Heather Cherone, WTTW Chicago, 5/29/20 Residents Question Hilco’s Commitment to Neighborhood Ahead of Demolition, Kristen Thometz WTTW Chicago, 5/24/20

THREATENED: Demolition Permit Released for Jeffery Theater and Spencer Arms Hotel (Chicago 7 2014)

Jeffery Theater Building and Spencer Arms Hotel, 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd/952 E. 71st Street, by William P. Doerr in 1923. Photo Credit: Ward Miller/ Preservation Chicago

Jeffery Theater Building Complex, 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd/952 E. 71st Street, by William P. Doerr in 1923. Photo Credit: Ward Miller/ Preservation Chicago

Jeffery Theater Building Complex, 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd/952 E. 71st Street, by William P. Doerr in 1923. Photo Credit: Ward Miller/ Preservation Chicago

Jeffery Theater Building Historic Lobby, 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd/952 E. 71st Street, by William P. Doerr in 1923. Photo Credit: Vanished Chicagoland

Spencer Arms Hotel, Photo Credit: Albert David

Proposed Development to Replace Jeffery Theater. Rendering Credit: Inner City Entertainment

A Preservation Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2014, the historic Jeffery Theater is located at the crossroads of what was once the bustling heart of the South Shore business district located at the northwest corner of 71st Street and Jeffery Boulevard adjacent to the Jackson Park Highlands Landmark District of fine historic homes. Built in 1923 it was opened as a vaudeville venue and movie house. The Jeffery Theater was originally constructed as a vaudeville house but also featured a single movie screen when it opened in 1923. The building also includes storefronts and apartments along 71st Street. It was located in the heart of the South Shore commercial center between Eucline Ave. and Jeffery Blvd. with the adjoining South Shore National Bank and later ShoreBank and successors abutting the east wall of the theater. It was designed by architect William P. Doerr in a neoclassical style with a tall vertical neon sign that was visible down the length of 71st Street. It once boasted a fine marquee as well. In the late 1990s, the building was purchased by ShoreBank. They remodeled the former theater interior into offices and added a drive through facility for the bank. However, the terra cotta ornamented façade remains largely intact as well as most of the historic lobby. In 2010, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation closed Shore Bank as a failed institution. Its assets and deposits were assumed by a newly chartered institution. In 2014, news broke that the property, which has been on the market, was under contract for sale and development as a McDonald’s. This development fell through, and it has remained vacant for a number of years. In 2015, an aspiring developer Alisa Starks, owner of Inner City Entertainment, purchased the building with plans to demolish the historic theater and replace it with a new theater. The plan was first announced in September 2017. There is considerable skepticism in the community about the likelihood of this development being completed. The developer has the support of 5th Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston. The loss of the historic façade of the Jeffery Theater together with its storefronts and apartment building would undermine the commercial 'small town' feel of 71st Street and may negatively impact the Jackson Park Highlands Chicago Landmark District directly to the north. While the loss of the theater’s auditorium space means that much of the original building has been lost, its façade and lobby still retain much original historic fabric and ornamentation and remain important features and community landmarks in the once-bustling commercial district. If the new development were to proceed, the historic theater facade and lobby would be an asset to the new development and should not be demolished. Read more at Block Club Chicago City Lifts Hold On Tearing Down Jeffery Theater, But Developer Doesn’t Plan To Demolish Immediately. City law delays permits to tear down historically significant structures, but the hold on Jeffery Theater expired in late May, Maxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago 6/9/2 South Shore Entertainment Complex Project Is ‘Shovel-Ready,’ Developer Says, But Funding Has Been A Setback; Plans for a dine-in cinema, bowling alley and event space were stalled by the government shutdown last winter, but developer Alisa Starks still hopes the center can open by November 2020. Maxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago, 8/15/19 Jeffery Theater and Spencer Arms Hotel, Wikipedia

WIN: Chicago Tribune Editorial - "Cook County Hospital is a Stunning Trauma Survivor" (Chicago 7 2003 and 2004)

Photograph of Preservation Chicago rally in April 2003 to Save Cook County Hospital with Studs Terkel. Photo Credit: Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune

Cook County Hospital after exterior facade cleaning, by architect Paul Gerhardt, in 1916, 1825 W. Harrison Street. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer

"For most of a century starting in 1916, the massive Cook County Hospital opened its healing hallways to wave upon wave of new and often destitute Chicagoans. European immigrants came first, followed by African Americans of the Great Migration from southern states. Latino and Asian newcomers, too, received world-class care from thousands of America’s best-trained physicians. "Much as Hull House was the Near West Side settlement house that showed a nation how to welcome struggling newcomers, the nearby Cook County Hospital treated their diseases, their industrial injuries and, starting with Spanish flu, their lethal pandemic illnesses. "But in 2002 the opening of its neighboring replacement, Stroger Hospital, signaled likely doom for the now-obsolete Cook County Hospital. County Board President John Stroger wanted the old Beaux-Arts beauty demolished, in part so motorists on the Eisenhower Expressway could view the new structure that bears his name. "With their garbage and graffiti, vandals and squatters eventually defiled the building that had birthed not only Chicago babies by the tens of thousands, but also the first blood bank and first comprehensive trauma center. County government’s intentional neglect left the building looking dilapidated and dangerous. Stroger’s minions on the county board didn’t want to talk about its rock-solid bones, which surely could support some new mission. Instead they plotted where to haul what soon would be a mountain of historic rubble. "The resurrection on Harrison Street: This summer, though, a $140 million, mixed-use redevelopment of Cook County Hospital is set to open in stages: A Hyatt Place hotel and extended-stay Hyatt House come first, followed by a food hall and county medical offices. "This resurrection is a miracle to those of us, including this editorial page, who’ve spent two decades arguing for raising from the dead what some Chicago politicians wanted to raze. The story of the rescue mission is as remarkable as the story of Cook County Hospital itself. "It’s also a lesson in how this city can, when it wants to, not only build stunning new architecture, but preserve iconic structures that document its history. In the end, Chicago got this one right. And there’s plenty of credit to go around — including for John Stroger, who eventually and graciously accepted the rejection of his demolition plan. "In the early 2000s, county Commissioners Larry Suffredin and Mike Quigley — the former still on the Cook County Board, the latter now in the U.S. House — helped Landmarks Illinois, Preservation Chicago and other urban historians build arguments for reprieve from the wrecking ball. Their emphasis on the hospital’s importance in the history of black Chicagoans persuaded county board members to vote in 2005 for keeping the structure erect. And, marvel of marvels, in 2007 Todd Stroger, John’s son and successor as board president, proposed rehabbing the old hospital as medical office space. One factor we can’t quantify: The successful television series “ER,” set in Chicago’s fictional County General Hospital, had given Cook County Hospital some popular buzz even after it closed. "Specific rehab proposals came and went. But not enough happened until Toni Preckwinkle, who had defeated the younger Stroger, parlayed her board presidency — and three years of work by her finance and real estate staffers — into a plan that would attract private-sector investment. We tip our hats especially to Chicago developer John T. Murphy, whose father, grandfather and great uncle, medical innovator John B. Murphy, were among the physicians who gave Cook County Hospital its global reputation for teaching and treatment. "The resulting redevelopment is a stunner. Plagiarizing the judgment of Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin, another advocate of renovating the hospital: It preserves a powerful symbol of compassionate care for the poor, serendipitously coming amid a pandemic that has seen doctors, nurses and other medical professionals battle heroically against the deadly coronavirus. The project is the anchor of a much-needed, multiphase $1 billion redevelopment that promises to enliven Chicago’s vast but dull Illinois Medical District with new housing, offices and restaurants. "Celebrate a win, Chicago: The project isn’t complete; such unique teaching-hospital features as tiered operating theaters, where young docs learned surgery by watching from on high, have yet to be repurposed. "But these are finishing touches on a rescue project worth its $27 million in historic preservation tax breaks. We applaud the pols and the private sector execs who’ve made it happen. "One more reason to cheer: No politician will have his or her name over the door of the revived Cook County Hospital. That’s consonant with our ongoing editorial campaign to have governmental bodies stop naming things for politicians. Why, we keep wondering, is there no Taxpayers Expressway dedicated not to some elected official, but to the millions of people who paid for it?" (Chicago Tribune, 5/29/20) Read the full story at the Chicago Tribune Editorial: Cook County Hospital is a Stunning Trauma Survivor, Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5/29/20 Column: An exclusive look at the reborn Cook County Hospital: Once facing the wrecking ball, the West Side landmark is about to reemerge, beautifully remade, Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune, 5/29/20 Fans Rally to Save Old Hospital; County Building a Symbol of City's past Group Says, David Mendell, Chicago Tribune, April 17, 2003

THREATENED: Pilsen Landmark District In Jeopardy (Chicago 7 2006) In Support: A Chicago Sun-Times Editorial

Pilsen Streetscape. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer

IN SUPPORT: Pilsen’s architectural heritage can be protected without pushing out the working class. Needed: a landmark district that protects Pilsen’s architecture, but provides better financial incentives to working class property owners, Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board, 5/26/20 "Given Chicago’s maddening tendency to exalt its architecture with one hand while wrecking it with the other, we like the city’s effort to create a landmark district in the historic Pilsen neighborhood. But Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), who opposes the creation of such a district, is not wrong when he says the expense of maintaining a building in a landmark district could further drive out current property owners and hasten gentrification. "We see a solution somewhere in the middle: create a landmark district that protects Pilsen’s distinctive architecture, but provide better financial incentives to working class property owners who have to repair the structures. "Chicago’s largest landmark district: The proposed Pilsen landmark district would be the city’s largest, encompassing 800 structures along and near 18th Street between Damen and Racine avenues. "The brick and limestone commercial and residential buildings largely were built by the Czechs and Bohemians who settled in Pilsen during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and brought with them Baroque Revival and other classical architectural styles of their homelands. The designation also would include important outdoor murals that were created in 1978 and after by the neighborhood’s Mexican American community. "Of the city’s nearly 400 individual landmarks and districts, almost none are in predominantly Mexican or Latino areas. Here’s a chance to address that inequity. "Including murals within a landmark designation is a first for Chicago, but it is critical, especially in Pilsen. A developer in 2017 callously painted over a historic mural outside the former Casa Aztlan community center at 1831 S. Racine. The vibrant work created during the 1970s Chicano Movement was repainted on the building, but only after community outcry and protests. "Under the landmark designation, buildings listed as 'contributing' to the district would be protected from demolition. And for exterior portions visible from the street, the city would require that all repairs or improvements retain the building’s historic look. "‘Demolition-free district’: Sigcho-Lopez says the added expense of maintaining a landmark will drive out Pilsen’s working class residents and bring in those people who are affluent enough to repair and restore the buildings. So, as an alternative, the alderman last week proposed a 'demolition-free district' with similar boundaries as landmark designation, and also including the former St. Adalbert’s Church, 1650 W. 17th St. "Sigcho-Lopez’s proposed ordinance would require community meetings, hosted by the alderman, to discuss the merits of any building permit application for a demolition or major reconstruction project, including any plan to convert a multiple-unit building into a single-family home. "But when it comes to protecting buildings from demolition and unsympathetic exterior alterations, Sigcho-Lopez’s proposal goes surprisingly toothless. "After holding the required community meeting, the ordinance then would require him to submit a written opinion — presumably with a recommendation — about the building permit application to the Department of Planning and Development within 30 days. But there would be nothing binding. Sigcho-Lopez’s own ordinance would allow the planning department to accept or overrule his recommendation. Sigcho-Lopez says his proposed ordinance 'is best suited to protect the social fabric of Pilsen, including its residents, homeowners and landlords.' We struggle to see how. "A better way: The city should move forward with the Pilsen landmark district. The neighborhood’s architecturally rich buildings and beautiful murals — many of them nationally known — deserve protection. "In addition, of the city’s nearly 400 individual landmarks and landmark districts, almost none are in predominantly Mexican or Latino areas, or reflect those communities’ Hispanic history and presence. A Pilsen landmark district could address that inequity and give the neighborhood a boost when it comes to snagging a bigger share as of the city’s architectural and heritage tourism trade. Right now, Pilsen has just two landmark buildings: Thalia Hall at 18th Street and Allport Avenue, and the former Schoenhofen Brewery buildings at 18th and Canal streets. "Existing incentives: There is already a range of incentives to ease the burden of landmark building ownership. The city waives building permit fees for landmarked structures. If an owner lives in a landmark and spends 25% of the property’s market value — as determined by the county assessor — on a rehab or restoration, the building’s property taxes are frozen for 12 years. "If the Pilsen district also were listed on the National Register of Historic Places, many owners would be eligible to apply for federal tax credit equal to 20% of the cost spent to rehab their building into an income producing property. The state has a similar 25% tax credit. "But the city should find more ways to sweeten the pot. For instance, the city’s variety of home assistance grants, such as the roof and porch repair program, could be part of the landmark district proposal. And looking more toward the long term, the city and state could lobby for an increase of up to 30% in the landmark federal tax credit. "Meanwhile, it is encouraging to see the Pilsen landmark proposed as part of larger city plans to maintain affordable housing in Pilsen and neighboring Little Village. The city’s departments of Planning and Housing must work harder to combat the problems of equity and displacement that are at the root of Sigcho-Lopez’s and the community’s concerns. "Along the way, the city just might develop a more equitable way to bring the benefits and cachet of architecturally significant buildings to other working class neighborhoods." (Chicago Sun-Times, 5/26/20) Read the Full Editorial at Chicago Sun-Times Pilsen’s architectural heritage can be protected without pushing out the working class. Needed: a landmark district that protects Pilsen’s architecture, but provides better financial incentives to working class property owners, Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board, 5/26/20

THREATENED: Pilsen Landmark District In Jeopardy (Chicago 7 2006) In Opposition: A Letter to the Editor from the Alderman

Pilsen Streetscape. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer

IN OPPOSITION: Sun-Times’ editorial defending landmark district plan for Pilsen is ‘pie in the sky’; The city simply cannot afford what it would take to help Pilsen residents afford to live in a landmark district. I sought, instead, a middle-ground solution, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th Ward, 5/28/20 "On Tuesday, the Sun-Times published an editorial arguing that a historic landmark district could be imposed in Pilsen with the proper financial incentives for property owners. The editorial board also called the proposed solution I put forward, with input from multiple community discussions, 'toothless' because I did not try to legislate unilateral authority for myself to control demolitions in the proposed district. "One of my core principles as an alderman is collaboration. Collaboration with my community is paramount, but so is collaboration with the city and its departments, even when we disagree. I proposed a community process that the city would have to honor before granting a waiver for a demolition or other major project. If the city chooses to ignore the will of the people, as it has done throughout the ongoing Hilco disaster, the community will continue to hold them accountable. "Given that the city has continually argued for building preservation — and pushed for the landmark district even when it lacked workable financial incentives — it would be a huge reversal for them to grant a waiver to demolish an architectural gem, especially over the objection of the community. Pilsen residents deeply value and cherish Pilsen’s history and culture, and have long been the sole advocates and protectors of our neighborhood, its people, and, yes, its buildings too. "Unfortunately, your suggestion that a landmark district would be the best solution if only the city worked out better financial incentives is a pie in the sky. I did not reject the landmark without careful consideration and nearly a year of negotiations with the city. "The reality is that the city simply cannot afford what it would take to help Pilsen residents afford to live in a landmark district. My solution sought the middle ground in absence of money. However, people can still landmark individual buildings, and my office is ready to help owners navigate that process. "With the introduction of my community-backed substitute ordinance, the landmark district is officially off the table, and according to their rules cannot be proposed again in the same geographic area. Here in Pilsen, we are ready to move on and find real solutions to preserve our community from gentrification and displacement." (Chicago Sun-Times, 5/28/20) Read the Full Letter at Chicago Sun-Times Sun-Times’ editorial defending landmark district plan for Pilsen is ‘pie in the sky’; The city simply cannot afford what it would take to help Pilsen residents afford to live in a landmark district. I sought, instead, a middle-ground solution, Letter to the Editor, Chicago Sun-Times, by Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th Ward, 5/28/20

THREATENED: After Downzoning, East Andersonville Faces First Developer Poised To Test The Measure

1436 W. Berwyn Avenue, saved from demolition and since since renovated. Photo Credit: VHT Studios

"Over the past few years East Andersonville residents have worked to tighten building restrictions in order to avoid more demolitions of area homes to make way for luxury condominium complexes. But just as they thought downzoning was the answer to save its historic homes, one developer has become the first to test the limits of the measure. "The historic graystone at 1436 W. Berwyn was the tipping point for the East Andersonville community who have seen the neighborhood become ultra-desirable to both buyers and developers. Residents worked to downzone the area to prevent its 190 two-flats and 18 single family homes located there from the demolition ball. "Bordered by Foster, Bryn Mawr, Clark and Glenwood, East Andersonville was zoned RT-4 which made homes vulnerable to developers with plans to tear them down. An organized campaign to restrict developments through RS-3 rezoning was successful and gained Alderman Harry Osterman’s support, a crucial factor that laid the groundwork for the process. "One developer who recently purchased a home at 1443 W. Summerdale, is now testing the boundaries of the RS-3 zoning with a new property. After an initial request six months ago to upzone the building to allow for construction of a third story was denied, he recently went to the zoning administrator to request three variances which were also declined." (Edgeville Buzz, 5/28/20) Read the full story at Edgeville Buzz After Downzoning, East Andersonville Faces First Developer Poised To Test The Measure, Edgeville Buzz, 5/28/20

WIN: Old Post Office Partners with Team Behind Empty Bottle, Thalia Hall to Add Concerts, Cultural Events and Food Hall

The lobby of the Old Chicago Main Post Office, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, in 1921, 433 W. Van Buren Street.  Photo Credit: Ward Miller / Preservation Chicago

"The Old Post Office’s owner plans to bring live music and other cultural events in and around — and possibly even on top of — the riverfront behemoth. "Developer 601W Cos. has formed a partnership with 16” on Center to create a broader Old Post Office District in the fast-changing southwest corner of the Loop. The ambitious plan will bring food, drinks and entertainment to the 2.8 million-square-foot complex, which is in the late stages of a $800 million-plus redevelopment of the long-vacant building. "Chicago-based restaurant and entertainment group 16” on Center is known for the Empty Bottle and Thalia Hall music venues, Revival Food Hall in the Loop and restaurants and bars such as The Promontory and Saint Lou’s Assembly. "The project includes a more than 18,000-square-foot food hall on the ground floor, accessible from the building’s historic lobby and from a large riverfront plaza. That outdoor space along with the lobby and potentially its 3.5-acre rooftop park could be used for live music, culinary events and other arts and entertainment, according to 16” on Center. The events space, as well as the food hall, will be open to the public. "'This partnership with The Old Post Office is a natural fit for us; it’s built around the adaptive re-use of a beautiful piece of Chicago history and is right in line with our mission to build a community in the neighborhoods we reside,' Bruce Finkelman, managing partner at 16” on Center, said in a statement. "More than 80% of space in the former main post office space has been leased. "Tenants that have moved in or signed leases in the building at 433 W. Van Buren St. include Uber, Walgreens, PepsiCo and Ferrara Candy. "The first tenants moved there in October, and when full, the ultrawide building is expected to have 15,000 to 16,000 workers daily. The Old Post Office’s rebirth is part of $2 billion-plus in real estate developments coming to the small pocket of downtown, which are expected to bring more than 22,000 new office workers to the area in the next couple of years." (Ori, 6/4/20) Read the full story at Chicago Tribune Old Post Office partners with team behind Empty Bottle, Thalia Hall to add concerts, cultural events and food hall, Ryan Ori, Chicago Tribune, 6/4/20

WIN: Historic Tribune Tower Redevelopment Plans Move Forward

Tribune Tower Redevelopment. Photo Credit: CIM Group and Golub & Co.

Tribune Tower Redevelopment. Photo Credit: CIM Group and Golub & Co.

Tribune Tower Redevelopment. Photo Credit: CIM Group and Golub & Co.

"The city’s planning authority Friday approved zoning for a hotel and residential high-rise just east of Tribune Tower that would become the second-tallest building in Chicago, a major step forward for a project imagined for years. "But despite the approval from the Chicago Plan Commission, the 1,422-foot building remains a highly speculative deal that may take years to realize. Its residential component, including condos and rentals, and its hotel all are vulnerable in an economy with continuing damage from the pandemic. "The building would arise at the southwest corner of Illinois and St. Clair streets, where there is currently a parking lot. With a design by Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the development also calls for retail space and landscaping in Pioneer Court. The building is just 29 feet shorter than Chicago’s Willis Tower. While commissioners praised the new building’s design and its placement that respects common view corridors for the landmark building, several criticized its lack of on-site affordable housing. "Going by the name Tribune Tower East, the project would form a tandem with the landmark Tribune Tower at 435 N. Michigan Ave. The Chicago Tribune left the building in 2018 and it’s undergoing a renovation for similarly exclusive homes. Golub and Los Angeles-based CIM Group are partners in both projects." (Roeder, Chicago Sun-Times) Preservation Chicago recommends the name "The Chicago American" for the new tower as a reference to the historic newspaper that was once written and printed on this site after it was merged with the Chicago Tribune Company. Read the full story at Chicago Sun-times City planners OK tall neighbor for Tribune Tower; The $700 million development could start in late 2021, depending on the economy, David Roeder, Chicago Sun-Times, 5/8/20

THREATENED: New Residential High-Rise Tower Tower Approved to Replace Cassidy Tire Building by Architect Henry Schlacks

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.

On May 21, the Chicago Department of Planning and Development approved a plan to demolish the Cassidy Tire building to make way for a new 33-story residential tower. "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 move 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 into 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

LOSS: McKinley Park Wrigley Factory Demolished for Truck Cross-Dock Warehouse

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company Factory, 3535 S. Ashland Avenue. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer

"Demolition is [underway] for the former Wrigley factory site at West 35th Street and South Ashland Avenue, clearing the way for a last-mile shipping warehouse similar to other new commercial development nearby. The South Branch Commerce Center at 3535 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, looks to rise this summer and provide space to tenants by the fourth quarter of 2020, said John Basile, senior vice president with NAI Hiffman, the commercial real estate firm managing the property. "From Gum to Logistics: For nearly 100 years, the sprawling factory site stretching along West 35th Street between South Ashland Avenue and South Iron Street manufactured gum and other confections for the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. It was shut down following the 2005 acquisition of the Wrigley Company by Mars Inc., then listed for sale in 2009. It has remained shuttered since its closing. "The shuttered Wrigley factory has long been the biggest source of blight in the McKinley Park neighborhood and has often been brought up as a topic at community meetings. "McKinley Park Development Council President John Belcik said the group was disappointed that no input or engagement was sought prior to development of the project. 'Areas along major bus routes such as Ashland should be considered for mixed use and [transit-oriented development],' he said. "'This location is in the transition zone both between 11th and 12th wards and also between residential and industrial zoning,' he said. The soon-to-be-released neighborhood plan from the council and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) will likely suggest transit-oriented development or mixed use for this area, he said." (Kerr, 2/6/20) Read the full story at McKinley Park News Former Wrigley Factory Making Way for Last-Mile Warehouse, Justin Kerr, McKinley Park News, 2/6/20

THREATENED: Jackson Park Obama Center Lawsuit Moving Through Appeals Court

The Planned Obama Presidential Center 20-Story Tower Looming over the Museum of Science & Industry and Jackson Park. Rendering Credit: Obama Foundation

"The Seventh Circuit was skeptical Thursday of a parks advocacy organization’s arguments opposing the construction of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park, in a case that has left many supporters of the former president bewildered and angry. "If the Clinton Foundation had approached New York City and asked for 20 acres of Central Park for its Harlem headquarters, it would have been laughed out of court. "But that is essentially what the Obama Foundation asked of Chicago — and got, in a sweetheart deal inked under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who previously served as Obama’s chief of staff. The deal gives the foundation the right to use 20 acres of lakefront public land in Jackson Park for 99 years for $10. "A lawsuit challenging this transfer under the public trust doctrine has garnered the attention of local and national preservation organizations. "'It’s wrenching,' Preservation Chicago’s CEO Ward Miller told Courthouse News. 'We welcome the center with open arms, but this is a terrible site. It’s being shoehorned in. So many laws are being ill-used, and even gutted to make this happen.' "Charles Birnbaum, CEO and founder of the Washington, D.C.-based the Cultural Landscape Foundation, echoed these sentiments. "'When you have a beloved figure like President Obama basically getting the Good Housekeeping seal of approval to the confiscation of public parkland, it sends a message to other municipalities. Which is, if you have a powerful and well-connected board of directors, you too can confiscate parkland held in trust,' Birnbaum told Courthouse News. "Jackson Park was designed by Frederick Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the designers of New York’s Central Park, and is famous as the site of the 1893 World’s Fair. It is located on the city’s southside, just east of the University of Chicago, where Obama taught as a law professor. "Initially, the Obama Foundation intended to build a traditional presidential library operated by the National Archive and Records Administration on the site. But then, the Obamas announced a change in plans. Instead of housing the official presidential records under supervision of the National Archives, the newly renamed Obama Presidential Center will be a 'privately owned, managed and operated' campus featuring a museum, public meeting spaces, a recording studio and an athletic center. (Bailey, Courthouse News Service, 5/21/20) Read the full story at Courthouse News Service. The legal process is complex and this is outstanding reporting. Seventh Circuit Hears Arguments in Obama Library Land Grab Suit, Lorraine Bailey, Courthouse News Service, 5/21/20 Are Appeals Court Judges Kicking the Can on Obama Center Lawsuit?, Patty Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 5/27/20

WIN: Schlitz Tied House at 9401 S. Ewing Avenue Granted Preliminary Landmark Status!

Schlitz Brewery-Tied House, by architect Charles Thisslew in 1907, located at 9401 S. Ewing Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Schlitz Brewery-Tied House, by architect Charles Thisslew in 1907, located at 9401 S. Ewing Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Schlitz Brewery-Tied House, by architect Charles Thisslew in 1907, located at 9401 S. Ewing Avenue. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

On June 4, 2020, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks voted to award preliminary Landmark designation to the former Schlitz Brewery-Tied House located at 9401 S. Ewing Avenue on Chicago's East Side. If approved by Chicago City Council, it would become the 10th Tied House Landmark in Chicago. Ownership plans a preservation-oriented restoration and use as a tavern. Preservation Chicago Testimony Presented to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks by Ward Miller on June 4, 2020 "Preservation Chicago, is very pleased to recommend the Schlitz Tied House, located at 9401 S. Ewing Avenue as a Chicago Landmark. "We have worked alongside owner Mike Medina, Alderman Susan Garza and DPD-Historic Preservation Staff at the City of Chicago, to encourage designation of this building as a Chicago Landmark. Such a designation and recommendation would join this structure to the other remarkable Schlitz Tied Houses across Chicago and a Schlitz Stable Building, which received Chicago Landmark Designation in 2011. "The building, designed by architect Charles Thisslew in 1907, is a wonderful representation of these company-owned tied house buildings, once located in communities across Chicago. Thisslew also designed another Schlitz Tied House on Chicago’s North Side at 2159 W. Belmont, which is part of the Schlitz Tied House District of five buildings and the stable. So, there is a precedent for this building to be considered for this honor and designation. "This Schlitz Tied House structure is located in Chicago’s East Side Community, adjacent to South Chicago, and in an area of the City, which has few Designated Chicago Landmarks. We therefore highly encourage the designation of this structure, in addition to others, looking to the future, as this community was once part of the industrial might and the heart of the steel industry in Chicago, much of which has vanished. "A special thanks to owner Mike Media, Alderman Susan Garza, the Department and the City for supporting and recognizing this landmark-quality building." (Preservation Chicago, 6/4/20) From Chicago Patterns "How much should be read into the disappearance of a single stained glass window? For the forlorn Bamboo Lounge at 9401 S. Ewing, could it be a warning of worse to come? A distinctive time capsule of a neighborhood tied house tavern, the building clings – for now – to the ragged frontier between the industrial past and the uncertain future of Chicago’s far southeast side. But for how much longer? "Tied Houses: The corner tavern is a dying species in Chicago. Many of those remaining are on borrowed time, licenses set to expire with their current proprietors. A creeping block-by-block rebirth of Prohibition has overtaken much of the city, leaving a once-ubiquitous Chicago institution on the brink. "Even more rare is the tied house: a bar built by a particular brewer to serve a particular brand of beer. The efforts of early Temperance advocates led to escalating licensing fees, which advantaged well-financed brewers over small tavern keepers. Tied houses were an ingenious achievement in vertical integration, and boomed along with the brewing and beer-shipping industry of Chicago. "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. "Many were built in Chicago around the start of the 20th century, but their heyday was short. Prohibition took a harsh toll, and vertical integration in the alcohol business was made illegal when it was repealed. "Some tied houses have survived as ordinary bars in extraordinary buildings. Others were repurposed. In 2011, the City of Chicago officially recognized their significance as a category, granting several of them Chicago Landmark status – and the protections and tax benefits it confers. At that time, at least 41 tied houses were known to remain in Chicago, but only five were selected for landmarking – all built by Schlitz. "Schlitz was the third biggest brewer in America in that era, and while it was based in Milwaukee, it had substantial distribution and business operations in Chicago. Company Vice President Edward G. Uihlein oversaw the most ambitious program of tied house construction in the city, putting up 57 over the course of about a decade. They were widely distributed outside of downtown in neighborhoods with immigrant industrial workers. Schlitz tied houses were instantly recognizable thanks to the prominent use the 'belted globe' insignia." (Rogers, 2/15/17) The Bamboo Lounge, Eric Allix Rogers, Chicago Patterns, 2/15/17 (Photos and history) Tied Houses, Serhii Chrucky, Forgotten Chicago, 1/11/2009

LOSS: Former Dairy in Lincoln Park To Be Demolished

North Shore Dairy, 1822-1824 N. Howe Street. Photo Credit: Albert David

North Shore Dairy, 1822-1824 N. Howe Street. Photo Credit: Albert David

North Shore Dairy, 1822-1824 N. Howe Street. Photo Credit: Albert David

"They always called it the dairy. "'Come to the dairy,' Deborah Clarkson would often say when she invited people to her home. She liked how the word contained the history of the house and of Chicago. "We had the sense that we were keeping something alive,” she said the other day, standing in the sunlight outside the home she and her husband shared for 35 years. She looked around at the low walls, the old rose-hued brick, the row of linden trees shading the patio, all of it now towered over by one of the neighborhood’s modern mansions. "She sighed. She and her husband were moving out and the dairy would soon be torn down. "'Buildings have so many lives,' she said. 'We were one of them. And they’re meant to have a lot of lives. They give a voice to the past.' "But when the old dairy on North Howe Street in Chicago’s Lincoln Park vanishes, so will the past it represents, which is why today I want to give it a brief eulogy." "Imagine Chicago. Late 1981. Deborah and Ron Clarkson are in their 20s. He’s in construction, she’s an architect. On the weekends, they drive from their Evanston home into the city looking for a place they can afford to buy and fix up. One day, on a Lincoln Park street shared by longtime German residents and newer African American ones, they spot a long, low, decaying brick building with a black iron fence out front. In the 1880s, the brick buildings that became the North Shore Dairy were erected as workers’ cottages. In the early 20th century, they merged to become the dairy. Farmers from outside the city carted milk in for bottling, and the bottles were then delivered by horse-drawn carriage...." (Schmich, Chicago Tribune) Read the full story and see all the photos at the Chicago Tribune Column: An old Chicago dairy is sold, destined to be torn down. A piece of the city’s history will vanish with it. Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune, 5/13/20

WIN: Restoration Begins on Givins Castle in Beverly

Beverly Unitarian Church / Givins Castle, 10244 S. Longwood Drive, 1886. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

"Major repairs at the Givins Castle, the landmark at the corner of 103rd Street and Longwood Drive, are officially underway. "After inspections found extensive deterioration in recent years, the turrets at the Castle, 10244 S. Longwood Dr., are being replaced in coming months, and the roof will be repaired on a building that is over 130 years old. "Jean Robinson, a member of a task force that led fundraising efforts to complete the repairs, visited the site on May 29 to see construction up close. 'We’re really thrilled,' Robinson said. 'We’d have a celebration if it weren’t for the pandemic. We’re here to see the first stones come down.' "About $1 million was raised through the Givins Beverly Castle Restoration Campaign, with donations coming from members of Beverly Unitarian Church, which has owned the Castle since 1942, community members and city and state grants. "Donations are still being accepted. For more information on fundraising efforts, visit givinsbeverlycastle.org. Donations may also be mailed to the Givins Beverly Castle Restoration Campaign, 10244 S. Longwood Dr., Chicago, IL 60643" As part of the fundraising effort in 2019, the Beverly Unitarian Church, 10244 S. Longwood Drive was one of four projects that received at a $240,000 grant from the City of Chicago's Adopt-a-Landmark Fund administered by the Department of Planning and Development. "The castle-like structure was built with Joliet limestone in 1886 by real estate dealer Robert C. Givins and modeled after a home he saw on the River Dee in eastern Ireland. The building, which has operated as a church since the early 1940s, is a contributing structure to the Longwood Drive District, designated a Chicago Landmark in 1981. "The four projects were selected from a pool of applicants that requested grants this summer. Among other considerations, staff prioritized projects that are shovel ready, projects that leverage additional investments, and projects that will have a positive, catalytic impact on their community." (Chicago DPD) Preservation Chicago has worked for many years with Beverly Unitarian Church / Givins Castle ownership. Recently we testified in support of the restoration effort and the Adopt-a-Landmark fund grant for this building. Additional Reading Major repairs underway at Castle, Kyle Garmes, The Beverly Review, 6/2/20 Four Neighborhood Landmarks Awarded Preliminary Grants from Citywide Adopt-a-Landmark Fund, Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD), 11/7/19

WIN: Two Former Logan Square Religious Buildings Becoming Apartments: Adaptive Reuse Has Become a Popular Strategy

Historic Church at 1847 N. Humboldt Blvd During Conversion to Residential Use. Photo Credit: Andrew Schneider

Historic Church at 1847 N. Humboldt Blvd During Conversion to Residential Use. Photo Credit: Andrew Schneider

"A developer who’s nearly finished converting a former synagogue in Logan Square to apartments will follow it up by doing the same with a historical church nearby. "Bob Ranquist, principal of Ranquist Development Group, said that in the past 30 days renters leased half the 14 units in the former synagogue at 3228 W. Palmer St., which was later a Boys & Girls Club. A model unit opens today, May 18, and first move-ins are scheduled for July 1. "In the past week, the city issued permits for work on a former Presbyterian church at 1847 N. Humboldt Ave. where the sanctuary and a structure to be built next to it will contain 15 apartments. Excavation on the site began today, Ranquist said. "The two former sanctuaries are roughly a mile apart on the boulevard system. Along with their history as places of worship, they share a brand identity as apartments: The Palmer Avenue building is called the Grand Palmer Lodge and the Humboldt Boulevard project will be the Grand Logan Lodge. "Adaptive reuse of former religious buildings has become a popular strategy for Chicago residential developers, as retaining historical facades preserves a tie to neighborhood history. Among many others, a historical Christian Science church in Kenwood is being remade as townhouses, and in Edgewater, a developer is turning a former convent into apartments." (Rodkin, 5/18/20) Preservation Chicago supports the adaptive reuse of this building, and we would like to see the exterior facade landmarked. We'd encourage retention of the large upper art-glass windows of the front facade. Read the full story at Crain's Chicago Business 2 former Logan Square religious buildings becoming apartments Adaptive reuse of such structures has become a popular strategy for Chicago residential developers, Dennis Rodkin, Crain's Chicago Business, 5/18/20 Could Another Century-Old Logan Square Church Be Redeveloped? The owners of the former Bethany Presbyterian Church at 1847 N. Humboldt Blvd. are flirting with the idea of selling the church and adjoining school at an asking price of $2 million, Mine Bloom, Block Club Chicago, 6/27/18

THREATENED: Preservation Chicago Releases Demolition Best Practice Guidelines In Response to Crawford Demolition Debacle (Chicago 7 2014 & 2019)

Toxic Demolition Dust Cloud in Pilsen following Crawford Demolition Implosion. Photo Credit: Maclovio / Instagram@Macnifying_glass

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 shocked 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. The following demolition best practice suggestions are designed for 1 to 4 units buildings. 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. Require use of air quality and wind speed monitoring devices. Increase fines for violations; 1st offense $10,000; 2nd offense $20,000; 3rd offense $30,000.  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 three 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 partially 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: Case Study: Portland Oregon’s Demolition Ordinance on February 1, 2018, Asbestos, Lead-Based Paint, Dust and Site Control Measures for Demolition Projects with 1-4 Dwelling Units Research Study: Lead and other heavy metals in dust fall from single-family housing demolition, David Jacobs, National Center for Healthy Housing, 2013 Media: What’s With That Demolition Dust?, WBEZ Chicago Investigation, Jeremy Borden, Jan. 7, 2018

THREATENED: The South Side Swedish Club / The Ridgeland Club Listed For Sale

The South Side Swedish Club/The Ridgeland Club, 7330 S. Ridgeland Avenue. Built c.1920s. Photo Credit: Cityfeet

The South Side Swedish Club/The Ridgeland Club, 7330 S. Ridgeland Avenue Built c.1920s. Photo Credit: Cook County Assessors Office

The South Side Swedish Club and later known as The Ridgeland Club is located at 7330 S. Ridgeland Avenue in Chicago’s South Shore Community. The structure was built 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. 7330 S. Ridgeland Avenue Listing

WIN: Historic home at 4649 N. Beacon goes under contract shortly after coming back onto the market

4649 N. Beacon Street Interior. Photo Credit: VHT Studio

Preservation Chicago worked with Sheridan Park neighbors to bring the beautiful historic home at 4649 N. Beacon Street to the attention of preservation-oriented buyers soon after it came onto the market. The efforts were successful as the property soon went under contract with a buyer intent on restoration. 4649 N. Beacon Street is a large, single family home on an oversized lot in Chicago's Sheridan Park National Register District. Many original historic details remain in this home but significant renovation work is required. The home is surrounded by other historic mansions in the beautiful historic neighborhood. Preservation Chicago has been working with Sheridan Park neighbors, community and elected officials for over a decade to encourage a larger Chicago Landmark District that would encompass the Sheridan Park National Register District. 4649 N. Beacon Street Listing

THREATENED: 4607 N. Magnolia Avenue Needs a Preservation-Oriented Buyer!

4607 N. Magnolia Avenue. Photo Credit: Google Maps

Preservation Chicago is working with Sheridan Park neighbors to bring the beautiful historic home at 4607 N. Magnolia Avenue in the Sheridan Park National Register District to the attention of preservation-oriented buyers. 4607 N. Magnolia Avenue is a large Queen Anne home with a large half-moon wrap around porch and turret. Located on a double lot in historic Sheridan Park, this is a wonderful "this old house" rehab opportunity. Built by Niels Buck in 1897-1898, the home has 6 bedrooms, 2.1 baths, a front door with original glass, a grand staircase with built-in window seat, a double parlor living room with pocket doors, a gas fireplace with a cast iron inset, a formal dining with built-in hutch, a maids stairwell, and hardwood floors with mahogany, birch and maple inlays. The 3rd floor has a ballroom, a maid's bedroom, 2nd kitchen and bath as well as a sun room. Property includes a large, four car garage. Preservation Chicago has been working with Sheridan Park neighbors, community and elected officials for over a decade to encourage a larger Chicago Landmark District that would encompass the Sheridan Park National Register District. 4607 N. Magnolia Avenue listing and virtual walk-through tour.

LOSS: Fire Destroys Apartment and Retail Building In Auburn Gresham

VIDEO: 400 W. 79th Fire Footage on May 19, 2020. Auburn Gresham. Video Credit: Chicago Fire Department Media

400 W. 79th Street Apartment Building and Vincennes Food Mart in Auburn Gresham. Lost to fire May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Street View

400 W 79th Street Apartment Building and Vincennes Food Mart in Auburn Gresham. Lost to fire May 2020. Photo Credit: Chicago Fire Department Media

"A fire broke out May 19 in an Auburn Gresham food market, with two firefighters suffering minor injuries. "Just before 6 a.m., the three-alarm blaze swept through the Vincennes Food Mart, 400 W 79th St. A grocery store on the first floor and apartments above it were destroyed, with the fire spreading to a neighboring building. "All residents were safely evacuated, but the building was destroyed and residents have been displaced." (Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago) Read the full story at Block Club Chicago Fire Destroys Vincennes Food Mart In Auburn Gresham; Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, fire officials said. The building will need to be demolished, Jaime Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 5/19/20 How One Family Escaped The Fire That Destroyed Auburn Gresham Food Mart: ‘Dad, Somebody’s Stuff Must Be On Fire’, So Fresh Saturdays emcee Mario Lemar may have lost his home, but his community still has his back. Jaime Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 5/21/20

LOSS: Wrigleyville's Yesterday Antique Shop Demolished

Yesterday Antique Shop, 1143 W. Addison Street. Demolished June 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

"The cherished memorabilia shop Yesterday, a relic and snapshot of 1970s Wrigleyville, will soon be demolished and replaced by a three-flat. "Yesterday founder Tom Boyle died in December, 2019. He was 88. He started auctioning off the store’s collection of sports memorabilia, print media archives and other antique collectibles in 2017 so he could close the shop for good. "Boyle’s nephew, Max Zelenka, confirmed Thursday the store had been sold and could be demolished by July. 'It’s sad to see it go. The store’s memory will be cherished through the cool sports or movie memorabilia or whatever people bought and connected with,' Zelenka said. "Since 1976, the leaning, yellow shack has sat at 1143 W. Addison St., just a block from Wrigley Field. The shop was known for its expansive collection of relics and oddities, as well as its rejection of modern technologies like credit card readers, computers and cash registers." Read the full story at Block Club Chicago Yesterday, Treasured Memorabilia Store, To Be Demolished: ‘It’s Sad To See It Go’; The leaning, yellow shack at 1143 W. Addison St. will be demolished by July to make room for a new three-flat, Jake Wittich, Block Club Chicago, 5/14/2020

THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay List

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) City of Chicago Demolition Delay Hold List (2020)

Address: 1319-1325 S. Ashland Ave./1544-1554 W. Hastings Street, Near West Side #100875210 Date Received: 05/22/2020 Ward: 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin Applicant: Alpine Demolition Services, LLC Owner: 130 Ashland Opportunity, LLC Permit Description: The demolition of a three-story masonry church, while preserving the foundations and footings. Status: Under Review

St. Stephenson M.B. Church/former Zion Evangelical Lutheran, Theodore Duesing in 1905, 1321 S. Ashland Avenue, built 1905. Photo Credit: Gabriel X. Michael Preservation Chicago has advocated for St. Stephenson for many years. We found multiple developers interested in adaptively reusing this historic building for a residential use. Multiple offers for purchase that were presented, but the church ownership declined all offers.

Address: 2114 N. Lincoln Avenue, Lincoln Park 100855857 Date Received: 04/22/2020 Ward: 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith Applicant: JAR Corp. Owner: Frederic Boyer Permit Description: Partial demolition to accommodate third floor additions and a side addition. Status: Under Review

2114 N. Lincoln Avenue. Photo Credit: Google Maps

Address: Jeffrey Theater and Spencer Arms Hotel, 7054 S. Jeffery Boulevard / 1952 E. 71st / 1950 E. 71st Street, South Shore (a Chicago 7 Most Endangered 2014) #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: Released 05/21/2020

Jeffrey Theater Building Complex, 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd./1952 E. 71st Street by William P. Doerr in 1923. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago

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

3246 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue Facade Detail View. Photo Credit: Ward Miller / Preservation Chicago Preservation Chicago has advocated along with the community for the preservation of this facade and restoration as part of the redevelopment plans for this site. We attended community meetings with the developer and neighborhood groups to advance this goal.

LOSS: “Spotlight on Demolition” Former Sears Store, 6153 S. Western Ave., Gage Park (Chicago 7 2016) 221 S. Racine Ave., Greektown 3349 W. Addison St., Irving Park 4241 W. Madison St., West Garfield Park 7245 S. East End Av., South Shore 3714 N. Southport Av., Lake View 438 W. St James Pl., Lincoln Park 6238 S. Greenwood Av., Woodlawn 5602 S. Racine Av., Englewood 5606 S. Racine Av., Englewood 5704 S. Green St., Englewood 6244 S. Carpenter St., Englewood 6601 S. Carpenter St., Englewood

“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.

Former Sears Store, 6153 S. Western Avenue. Chicago 7 2016. Demolished June 2020. Photo Credit: Artistmac / Flickr

221 S. Racine. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

3349 W. Addison Street. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

4241 W. Madison. Lost to Arson May 2020. Photo Credit: Bob Chiarito / Block Club Chicago

7245 S. East End Avenue. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

3714 N. Southport Avenue. Orange-Rated. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

438 W. St. James Place. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

6238 S. Greenwood Avenue. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

5602 S. Racine Avenue. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

5606 S. Racine Avenue. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

5704 S. Green Street. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

6244 S. Carpenter Street. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

6601 S. Carpenter Street. Demolished May 2020. Photo Credit: Google Maps

Preservation In the News

PRINT: Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Chicago’s ‘Other’ Michigan Avenue Could Be Magnificent Once More (Chicago 7 2020)

Historic Photograph of the State Theater at 110th Place and S. Michigan Avenue in Roseland’s Michigan Avenue Commercial District, c.1970. Photo Credit: Paul Petraitis

"Keep an eye on the Roseland neighborhood’s Michigan Avenue, once a retail strip so popular it was called Chicago’s second Magnificent Mile. Shoppers could find anything from school supplies to furniture to brand new cars. Rocked by two devastating extra-alarm fires within the last year, and now slammed by a pandemic that’s likely to change forever how we shop and gather, the faded and struggling commercial strip faces a tough future. "But 'The Avenue' — as this stretch of Michigan Avenue between 115th and 107th was called in its heyday — now is being targeted by the city for possible redevelopment. The plans were in place before the coronavirus broke out and they’ll need to be modified. But given that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit all traditional retail strips hard — have you seen the boarded up stores on North Michigan Avenue these days? — saving The Avenue should be even more of a priority. "When neighborhood shopping dies, neighborhoods die. The Avenue’s day as a regional commercial giant are not likely to return. People just don’t shop in brick-and-mortar stores the way they used to, and the street’s major retailers, such as JCPenney, are long gone. But the buildings still stand and could be reused in potentially exciting new ways. And if done correctly, the lessons learned here could be applied to troubled commercial streets in neighborhoods elsewhere on the South and West sides. "A diamond in the rough: Roseland has been included in the city’s new three-year $750 million Invest South/West program, which targets for improvements 10 South and West Side neighborhood commercial corridors. 'It’s a diamond in the rough,' city Planning Commissioner Maurice Cox, imported last fall from Detroit by the Lightfoot administration, said to us about The Avenue. “I was surprised and delighted to see it’s all there.” "According to community input gathered from Invest South/West sessions, Roseland residents want to see The Avenue repositioned to take advantage of new tourist and commercial activity in the neighboring Pullman National Monument district. "They also want to preserve the street’s existing architecture — an eclectic mix that includes Victorian styles, 1920s buildings clad in decorative terra cotta, and postwar modernism. The Avenue suffered a huge loss last June when an extra-alarm fire claimed the vacant former Gately’s department store at 112th Street. A smaller building at 111th Street occupied by Beacon Light Ministries burned to the ground in January." Preservation Chicago has placed The Avenue on its Seven Most Endangered list for 2020. (Sun-Times Editorial Board, 5/12/20) Read the Full Editorial at Chicago Sun-Times Chicago’s ‘other’ Michigan Avenue could be magnificent once more, Reviving “The Avenue” in Roseland could teach our city how to bring new life to troubled neighborhood shopping strips across the South and West sides, Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board, 5/12/20 Preservation Chicago 2020 7 Most Endangered: Roseland’s Michigan Avenue Commercial District Write-Up

Bed Rest And Sputum Tests: Inside Chicago's Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium, 1915, 5801 N Pulaski Road. Photo Credit: WBEZ Chicago 91.5

"Today, the fieldhouse in Chicago’s Peterson Park has a game room and offers all kinds of classes for kids and adults, but 100 years ago, it served as the lab and morgue of the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. Once the nation’s largest facility to treat and quarantine victims of this highly contagious disease, the vast campus housed nearly 250,000 Chicagoans during its nearly 60 years in operation. "Questioner Laurie Nayder knew this building (and several around it) had been part of a tuberculosis sanitarium, but she didn’t know much about what happened inside their walls. So she wrote to Curious City with the question: "Can you tell me what it was like in the old tuberculosis sanitarium on Pulaski and Peterson? "The year before the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium (MTS) opened in 1915, nearly 4,000 Chicagoans had died of TB, an infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs. And when it began accepting patients, there were an estimated 100,000 cases of TB in Chicago. "Covering a 160-acre campus with more than 50 buildings, Chicago’s sanitarium was a state-of-the-art facility, and the first to include a maternity ward. It was also one of the longest running in the country. To understand how the sanitarium operated, how TB patients were treated, and how those treatments evolved, we tracked down public health experts and former patients. They talked about treatments that might seem harsh (and downright primitive) today and the scientific breakthroughs that eventually made the sanitarium obsolete." (Eng, 2/28/18) Preservation Chicago was honored to be able to testify in support of the Chicago Landmark Designation of the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium in 2018 and 2019. Hear the full story and see all the photos at WBEZ Chicago 91.5 Bed Rest And Sputum Tests: Inside Chicago's Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium, Monica Eng WBEZ Chicago, 2/28/18 Chicago Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium; Chicago's North Park Village was once the largest municipal sanatorium in the country. Atlas Obscura Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium Complex, Final Landmark Designation Report. City of Chicago, November 1, 2018

WATCH: April 5, 1968, a poem by Eve L. Ewing

April 5, 1968, a poem by Eve L. Ewing regarding the 1968 Riots on Madison Street read by Eve L. Ewing. Photo Credit: Chicago Magazine

"Fifty years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., a new work by acclaimed poet Eve L. Ewing evokes the day Madison Street burned. April 5, 1968 a poem by Eve L. Ewing Our country is over, you see. Here lies my prettiest baby, and her glass fingertips are all over the tar. In the before I told her, ‘play, beloved,’ and from the storefront piano came legends of the mountaintop and it made me weep. I was an ugly phoenix but our dirt was our own. As the sun rises now I know what we do is right. Unafraid I stand before the skinny boy with the bayonet & say ‘before I’ll be an ashen ghost, black gone gray at your hand like our dead philosopher, I’ll burn my own, you see, just the way I want, & you will know it’s mine.’ Goodbye, Madison. I will remember my country, my sun-up town. Because there on the mountaintop I saw the fire in the valley. Read and hear the full poem at Chicago Magazine April 5, 1968, a poem by Eve L. Ewing regarding the 1968 Riots on Madison Street read by Eve L. Ewing, Chicago Magazine, April 2018

PRINT: Proof that the "Greenest Building is the One Already Standing" Released in 2012 Report from National Trust for Historic Preservation

Historic Two-Flats on Iowa Street in Chicago. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

Regarding the 2012 Report: "'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) Read the full story at Treehugger.com Proof that the Greenest Building is the One Already Standing Released in New Report from , Lloyd Alter, Treehugger.com, 1/24/12

PRINT: The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse from 2012 Report from National Trust for Historic Preservation

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

Regarding the 2012 Report: "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." Read the full Report at The Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation One Pager, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 3/10/16 Executive Summary, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 3/10/16 Full Report, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 3/10/16 Quantis Technical Report, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 3/10/16 Quantification Methodology, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 3/10/16 Energy Methodology, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 3/10/16

PETITIONS

Change.org Petition: Imagine a New Emmerson Park Fieldhouse Save the Chicago Town & Tennis Club

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

From Outhouse to Fieldhouse! Our Kids Deserve Better. Children's programming at Emmerson Park in Chicago is held in a former public restroom building that’s been converted into a tiny fieldhouse. The children of West Ridge have needed a proper fieldhouse in Emmerson Park for decades. Yet, there never seem to be enough funds for this small park in a diverse, working class neighborhood of Chicago. The converted restroom shed building is extremely deficient. Half the structure is still restrooms and the other half has a small office and tiny community room. Mops and buckets are still stored in the hallway. This sub-standard building is an embarrassment to the City of Chicago and Chicago Park District. This building is too small and can only hold a small number of children. There are always long waitlists for most after-school, summer camp, and park district programs. Park district staff do their best but they simply don’t have the space. Due to crossing gang turfs, kids and parents hesitate to attend other parks in other neighborhoods. Enough is enough! Meanwhile, 250 feet away from Emmerson Park is the historic Chicago Town & Tennis Club building. This gorgeous, 1920s-era tennis clubhouse building with vaulted ceilings, slate roof, and grand ballrooms was recently used as a church and hosted wedding receptions. This beautiful, recently-restored, high-quality building is scheduled to be BULLDOZED in June 2020. It would be the perfect Emmerson Park Fieldhouse….if it can be moved in time! New fieldhouses in Chicago often cost from $15 to $20 million such as the $13 million for Clarendon Park. Maintenance on existing fieldhouse is costs far less and the City recently announced $1.5 million for Revere Park and $1.8 million for Kosciusko Park. Relocation would be a fraction of the cost of new construction. The cost to physically move the Chicago Town & Tennis Club building into Emmerson Park and make ADA upgrades is $1.5 million. For literally “pennies on the dollar” the children of West Ridge can have the amazing fieldhouse they deserve. Preservation Chicago has been hard at work and has already secured pledges for approximately $250,000 of the relocation cost from Chicago-based foundations who recognize this incredible opportunity for the children of West Ridge. 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 and TIF funding. The City of Chicago and Chicago Park District must ACT NOW and “find the funds” to relocate the Chicago Town & Tennis Club into Emmerson Park. Relocating the picturesque Tudor Revival style Chicago Town & Tennis Club building is a perfect solution for Emmerson Park and the West Ridge community. Located at 1925 W. Thome in Chicago, it was designed in 1924 by legendary architects George Maher and his son Philip Maher (contemporaries of Frank Lloyd Wright). George Maher was a seminal figure in both the Prairie style and the Arts & Crafts style movements across America. The building is orange-rated and would qualify for Chicago Landmark Designation, Adopt-a-Landmark funds and other landmark incentives. It is adjacent to the Clark/Ridge TIF District which could potentially be another funding source. Additionally, the Chicago Park District could rent out the beautiful historic building’s ballrooms for wedding receptions; much like Cafe Brauer in Lincoln Park which is a huge revenue generator. This is an incredible opportunity to relocate a historic building and provide a safe haven for kids, expand after-school and camp programs to serve all of the children in the community. "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) SIGN THE PETITION! Save the Chicago Town & Tennis Club/Unity Church

Change.org Petition: Implosion Devastates Little Village During COVID19 Pandemic

Toxic demolition dust covers Little Village following the implosion of the Crawford Smokestack. Photo Credit:Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO)

"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. Please sign the petition: Implosion Devastates Little Village During COVID19 Pandemic

SUPPORT

Help Restore Louis Sullivan's Holy Trinity Cathedral

Holy Trinity Cathedral, Louis Sullivan, 1903, 1121 N. Leavitt Street. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

"On June 7th, 2020, Holy Trinity Cathedral designed by Louis Sullivan celebrated its 128-year anniversary of its founding as the oldest Orthodox community in Chicago. The goal is simple – we need to finish our restoration of the main cathedral and are in the final stretch of accomplishing this. We need $85,784 to: Fix the cracks in the stucco: $50,784 To paint the exterior of the cathedral: $35,000 "This community was founded by hard working immigrants and even saints of the Orthodox Church. It serves as a prominent holy site for the Orthodox Church in America and is an important monument of architecture within the city of Chicago. This beloved landmark was built by the famous architect, Louis Sullivan and is the only church he design that still exists today. Please help us preserve history while securing the future." Watch the Video Support the Campaign

Support Glessner House with Donation $25 or More & Receive Beautiful William Morris Face Mask Thank You Gift

William Morris Face Mask Thank You Gift. Photo Credit: Glessner House

"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." Support the Glessner House COVID-19 Relief Fund Today! More information at the Glessner House website

Support "Saving the Sacred" Film

Support "Saving the Sacred" Film Campaign. Photo Credit: Regina

"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." Watch the Film Trailer Support the Campaign

Minnekirken GoFundMe Campaign Launched for Restoration Project

Minnekirken Restoration GoFundMe Campaign. Photo Credit: Erin Brown

"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 & AWARDS

Which are your favorite neighborhood buildings in Chicago?

Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

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! The address is really the only essential detail. But if you happen to have any additional information like that building name, architect, or a photo, please send that along as well to info@preservationchicago.org. Or through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Or contact us through the Preservation Chicago website

SUPPORT

Now on Sale! "Chicago 7 Most Endangered" Posters, Mugs & More!

Preservation Chicago 2020 Chicago 7 Poster and Mug now on sale at the Preservation Chicago web store. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago

Due to popular demand, the 2020 Thompson Center “Chicago 7 Most Endangered” poster is now available for sale on the Preservation Chicago webstore. 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.

Every Donation Counts. Please Support Preservation Chicago !

Demolition of American Taxi Service building, built 1928, at 5608 S. Stony Island Avenue. Demolished November 2019. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers

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 at wmiller@preservationchicago.org or 312-443-1000.  www.PreservationChicago.org 

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