November 2017 Month-in-Review Newsletter
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Preservation Chicago Advocating for Lincoln Park Cultural Center at Second Church of Christ, Scientist
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Second Church of Christ Scientist, Photo Credit: Google Street View
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Second Church of Christ Scientist Interior, Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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The Second Church of Christ, Scientist, located at 2700 N. Pine Grove Avenue and Wrightwood Avenue, has been an architectural masterpiece in the Lincoln Park community for 116 years. It was dedicated on Easter Sunday, 1901 with four services and over 10,000 attendees. Today the congregation has dwindled to less than fifty . Due to the increasing cost of maintenance, the decision has been made to sell the property. Despite being designed by the celebrated architect Solomon S. Beman, this majestic Beaux-Arts building has no landmark protection and current zoning would allow a much taller building to be built.
Almost two years ago, the congregation hired Plaza Property Advisors to quietly approach to potential buyers including developers, schools and others as disclosed at the November 14, 2017 community meeting. According to John Colt Landreth, principal of Plaza Property Advisors, while there is a preference by the congregation to see the historic building saved, if it were demolished, a new building could go up to 10-stories without a change in zoning. Another possibility would be to build new only on the parking lot out back, he said, which would "probably be more acceptable to the congregation, who want the church building to remain." (Rodkin, 11/15/17)
Ward Miller, Executive Director of Preservation Chicago, spoke at the public meeting to encourage preservation and landmarking of the historic building and for a cultural use for the historic gem.
As reported by Peter Von Buel in the Skyline,
Ward said, “We do not need another residential high-rise at this site. It will adversely affect the quality of life, sunlight, air and throw shadows on adjacent buildings. What we do need collectively, is a great and amazing resource and cultural center, for an already dense neighborhood. This is a once-in-a-life-time chance. Let’s not blow it, with another embarrassing loss and demolition of one of Chicago’s great architectural treasures.”
“The church mentioned they will consider a donation of the building to a good steward, so let that steward be all of us collectively and let’s all advocate for a collective reuse that benefits all Chicagoans, looking to the near future,” said Miller, who added that Preservation Chicago will work with the congregation and the community to help make the community-center vision a reality.
Ward Miller has actively been seeking "angels" who could fund the deferred maintenance of the building and the conversion into a Lincoln Park cultural center or other community oriented use.
Built in 1901, the classical façade of the building recalls one of Beman’s most celebrated design, the “Merchant and Tailors’ Building” of Chicago’s Columbian Exposition of 1893.
“The World’s Fair building had received numerous awards for its designs. Beman worked with members of the Christian Science Movement and its leaders, including Mary Eddy Baker, the faith’s founder and leader, to design “a most perfect church prototype” for subsequent Christian Science buildings. Beman included few, if any, traditional religious symbols and symbolism, in designing a beautiful light-filled sanctuary and with an auditorium and assembly-space as a sanctuary,” added Miller.
According to Miller, its clean, open design would serve well as a Lincoln Park community or cultural center.
“The sanctuary of the church, with its art glass and gilded dome, its magnificent column-free space, with wide arches and honey-colored art windows; its rare Austin organ, could be an unparalleled space for concerts, cultural events, music, lectures, presentations affiliated with the local museums and institutions, including The Lincoln Park Conservatory, the Lincoln Park Zoo and The Peggy Notebaert Nature Center. This would all be located a mere half-block from Lincoln Park, and would be an amazing resource for the Lincoln Park community, and for all of Chicago,” suggested Miller.
"While some may question the feasibility of such a plan, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has recently said he supports branch cultural centers throughout Chicago. The Beman-designed building, presents a rare opportunity to create such a center," said Miller.
“The Chicago Cultural Center was constructed as the Chicago Public Central Library in 1897. It was rethought as the Chicago Cultural Center in 1977 and has been one of the best reuse projects in the city’s history. It’s still a remarkable center and proof of a visionary series of decisions that were made in the 1970s, by elected officials, city leaders, and philanthropic organizations. Let’s continue to have that visionary outlook and reuse the church building for everything both cultural and imaginative. Let’s ask the church, city, elected officials to work together with our Chicago philanthropy community to make this vision a reality,” Miller said. (Von Buol, Skyline, 11/22/17)
Additional Reading
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Preservation Chicago’s Suggestion to Landmark Emmett Till’s Home Covered Nationally
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Emmett Till Home, Photo Credit: Google Street View
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Emmett Louis Till Math and Science Academy, Photo Credit: Google Street View
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Preservation Chicago recently suggested Emmett Till’s Woodlawn Residence and the Emmett Louis Till Math and Science Academy as Chicago Landmarks in an effort to recognize and honor his memory, and the civil rights movement that he helped to inspire. This suggestion followed the death of Simeon Wright, Emmett’s close cousin who was with him on the trip to visit relatives in Mississippi and with him on the night the 14-year old was kidnapped and brutally murdered for allegedly whistling at a white woman.
The Chicago Tribune published a front page, in-depth article regarding the nomination and the significance of Emmett Till to the Civil Rights Movement. The story was picked up by the Associated Press and reported widely including US News and World Report, the Houston Chronicle, the Seattle Times, and our own, Curbed Chicago.
Emmett Till’s Residence and the Emmett Till Elementary School, formerly known as McCosh Elementary School where Emmmett attended, are located in Woodlawn at 6427 S. St. Lawrence Avenue and 6543 S. Champlain Avenue respectively. While both buildings are attractive vernacular historic Chicago buildings, the essence of this nomination is their personal connection to Emmett Till.
“By honoring that name and honoring the story and making people aware of these sites gives you a personal connection to it all,” said Ward Miller, Preservation Chicago’s Executive Director. “I think it would send a wonderful message to the Black community of Chicago that these sites are important and these injustices should never happen again.”
In 2007, Preservation Chicago successfully lobbied to designate Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, located at 4021 S. State Street in Bronzeville as a Chicago Landmark. The church was at the center of the Civil Rights Movement for four days in September 1955 during Emmett Till’s funeral at which Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, resolutely insisted upon an open-casket visitation which compelled the mourners and the nation to act.
The red brick two-flat home with stone trim and a decorative cornice looks similar today to how it looked in 1953, when Emmett and his mother moved into the second floor apartment. “Emmett’s younger cousin Ollie Gordon said she lived in the garden apartment with her parents and brothers. An uncle lived on the first floor. Emmett and his mother lived on the second floor.” (Vivanco, Chicago Tribune, 11/13/17)
His mother recalled in a 1999 Chicago Tribune interview, “Emmett controlled 64th and St. Lawrence. For a three-block stretch, this was his land. He knew every old person. He did grocery errands. He did lawns. He (shoveled) snow. He made $15 washing and painting a ladies' hall, from the lower molding down to the floor."
In 2015, the building was purchased and renovated by Alex Al-Sabah, of Elite Invest, a Chicago construction and property management company, and was then sold to its current owner, New Jersey investor Brahmananda Bandela. Neither were aware of the building’s history, but both were interested to learn of the personal connection with Emmett Till and are supportive of the potential for Landmark Designation.
“The property is not on the market, but Bandela, a 36-year-old business analyst from India, said he’s received inquiries about selling the property, including one offer from a Chicago attorney a month ago to buy the property to turn the second-floor unit into a museum or children’s library.” (Vivanco, Chicago Tribune, 11/13/17)
“Money is less of an issue. I want to keep it more for the right party or stakeholder,” Bandela said, adding he is researching the landmark process.
Additional Reading
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Landmark Laramie State Bank at Risk
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Laramie State Bank, 5200 W. Chicago Avenue, Postcard Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Laramie State Bank Entry, 5200 W. Chicago Avenue, Postcard Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Laramie State Bank Ornament, 5200 W. Chicago Avenue, Postcard Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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The Laramie State Bank Building is an architectural gem located at 5200 W. Chicago Avenue in Austin. This exuberant art deco two-story building was designed by Architects Meyer & Cook and completed in 1929. The Laramie State Bank was designated as a Chicago Landmark by the City of Chicago in 1995.
The bas-relief art deco terracotta sculpture on the building’s exterior includes many progressive-era representations of industry and finance including coins, beehives, squirrels, heroic workers, and the American eagle astride the globe.
“Architecturally, its terracotta is some of the most spectacular within the city,” according to Robert Bruegmann, an architectural historian and professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. (Zhang, AustinTalks)
The Laramie State Bank Building has been vacant for approximately five years. Prior uses included banquet facility, retail and restaurants. Currently the building is boarded up and is suffering from deferred maintenance. According to a City of Chicago Department of Buildings inspection in July 2017, a number of issues were noted including water systems, elevators, door, windows and historic exterior terra cotta.
Owned by Austin residents John Young Sr. and Earline Ruffin since 1994, they earnestly desire to see the building restored, but the significant costs associated with the terra cotta repair are prohibitive. The building was foreclosed upon by Urban Partnership Bank, and then due the high costs of repair, in an unusual move, the bank later returned the building to the former owners.
“It has great potential to become a West Side tourist attraction. Laramie State Bank is a gorgeous building on the outside. There’s nothing like this that is so strikingly, fully Art Deco. This is unique. This will make a perfect cultural and historical arts museum, something that children could come to and play their art and music.” said James Bowers, a long-time Austin resident and business owner. (Zhang, AustinTalks)
Preservation Chicago has appeared before the Building Court at multiple hearings over the past six months along with the Chicago Art Deco Society, Landmarks Illinois, Austin Coming Together, and concerned members of the Austin community.
Laramie State Bank is a Designated Chicago Landmark, an outstanding example of the Art Deco period, and a highly visible and important landmark in the Austin community. While the challenge to find the resources to restore the building is clear, this outstanding building is worth the effort.
Preservation Chicago, Landmark Illinois, and the City of Chicago, along with our preservation partners are working diligently to secure a patron that could stabilize the building, both physically and financially, and restore this exuberant landmark. We have a strong preference for a community or cultural use for the ground floor banking hall that would ensure public access to this wonderful historic interior.
The next court hearing is scheduled for March 7, 2018 at 2:00 pm at the Richard J. Daley Center, 11th Floor. All interested individuals and organizations are welcome to attend.
Additional Reading
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Demolition Permit Released for D.H. Burnham & Company’s Chicago Machinery Building
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1217 W. Washington Boulevard, Photo Credit: Gabriel X. Michael
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1217 W. Washington Boulevard Ornament, Photo Credit: Gabriel X. Michael
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A demolition permit was released on November 21, 2017 for 1217 W. Washington Boulevard, the orange-rated Chicago Machinery Building designed by D.H. Burnham & Company and dating to 1910. This three-story commercial and industrial building has an outstanding façade with highly decorative ornamentation and an elaborately detailed cornice. The white glazed brick contrasts beautifully with the maroon-colored ornament and arched window openings.
The building is excellent condition as it was “newly renovated by an experienced developer” in 2015. An recent rental listing further celebrates “heavy-timber loft with high ceilings and lots of character.” The building recently served as the showroom for Veeco Manufacturing, a furniture manufacturer.
The owner is Peppercorn Capital, which owns multiple historic properties in the neighborhood. They applied for a demolition permit on August 23, 2017 and received the demolition permit at the expiration of the delay.
Efforts by Preservation Chicago to affect positive change and prevent the demolition of this outstanding historic building have yielded little results. This building contributes considerably to the character to the West Loop and at a minimum, we would like to see this extraordinary façade preserved as part of a larger redevelopment plan. Despite the release of the demolition permit, we will continue to advocate for its reuse for as long as the building remains standing.
The character of the historic West Loop is under intense pressure from new construction. With new buildings under construction ranging from 10 to 18 stories, historic two and three story industrial and commercial buildings on big lots are prime targets for demolition and redevelopment. There is an urgent need for a Greektown/West Loop Chicago Landmark District that would recognize, celebrate and protect this wonderful and highly endangered historic neighborhood. Downzoning would help to reduce redevelopment pressure on historic properties.
Additional Reading
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Sullivanesque “Jewel Laundry” Building Redevelopment Receives Alderman’s Support
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Jewel Laundry Building, 1730 W. Greenleaf Avenue, Historic Postcard Credit Chuckman Collection
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The upzoning request for the “Jewel Laundry” Building located at 1730 W. Greenleaf Avenue received the support of 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore. Preservation Chicago supported this adaptive reuse proposal and spoke on its behalf at a community meeting on June 14, 2017 at the Ethiopian Community Center of Chicago.
This white terra cotta commercial building was the Maya Romanoff Corporation wallpaper and textiles plant until 2008, and is currently the Ethiopian Community Center of Chicago. The historic building was designed by Aroner & Somers and dates to circa 1915. The building is classified as orange-rated by the Chicago Historic Resources Survey which highlights the building’s “Prairie and Sullivanesque” ornamentation and detailing.
The historic façade will be restored as part of the redevelopment plan. A new two-story addition will be added to the top of the building and will be set-back behind the existing historic façade. The developer is Dave Gassman, with Craft Architecture. A total of 30 apartments are planned. In close proximity to the Rogers Park Metra Station, this Transit Oriented Development (TOD) will have no on-site parking, storage for bikes, and a green roof.
Additional Reading
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Mid-Century Modern Morton Salt Headquarters Building to be Demolished
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Morton Salt Headquarters Building, 110 N. Wacker Drive, Photo Credit: Chicago.Designslinger.blogspot.com
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The mid-century modern Morton Salt Headquarters Building will be demolished to make way for a new office skyscraper. Designed by Shaw, Metz & Dolio, this five-story building has been a fixture at 110 North Wacker Drive since its completion in 1961. It was commissioned by Morton Salt Company, a long-standing Chicago company founded in since 1879. Morton Salt Company eventually morphed into an international conglomerate and left the building in 1992. More recently, General Growth Properties occupied the building.
110 North Wacker Drive will be replaced by 51-story glass office tower designed by Goettsch Partners and developed by Dallas-based Howard Hughes Company and Chicago’s Riverside Investment and Development. Bank of America will be the anchor tenant.
The development plan includes a half-acre publicly accessible open space, including a landscaped river walk and an urban park. The new 45-foot wide river walk will serving as a new north-south connection for pedestrian access between Randolph Street and Washington Street.
At a recent Section 106 meeting, Preservation Chicago advocated for a reconsideration of the proposed demolition, citing the building’s history, integrity, scale and relationship to the development of Chicago. Also noting that the scale of the riverfront is being overwhelmed with tall, glass buildings, and the history of Wacker Drive’s transformation from Market Street is being lost.
We also noted in the meeting, that other nearby riverfront buildings, including the Hartford Insurance Building at 100 S. Wacker Drive by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (1961), and 10 and 120 S. Riverside Plaza Buildings also by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (1968 and 1974), along with 2 N. Riverside Plaza also known as the Chicago Daily News Building by Holabird & Root (1928) should be considered for Landmark Designation.
Additional Reading
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Emergency Demolition Order for Historic Bank Building
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Ashland Sixty-Third State Bank, 1536 W. 63rd Street, Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Ashland Sixty-Third State Bank Ornament, 1536 W. 63rd Street, Photo Credit: Google Street View
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The long vacant Ashland Sixty-Third State Bank, located at 1536 W. 63rd Street, was issued an emergency demolition order by the City of Chicago Departments of Buildings on November 15, 2017. This neo-classical, highly ornamented, terra cotta bank building was designed by the prolific Chicago architect Karl Vitzthum in 1924.
Four of Vitzthum’s other bank buildings are Designated Chicago Landmarks including the Fullerton State Bank (1923), the Marquette Park State Bank (1924), Pioneer Trust and Savings Bank (1924), and the Hyde Park-Kenwood National Bank (1928).
Vitzthum designed many outstanding buildings during his career and is better known for his larger commissions which include three Designated Chicago Landmarks, specifically, the Old Republic Building at 307 N. Michigan, the Steuben Club Building at 188 W. Randolph, and the One North LaSalle Street Building.
In early 2016, significant portions of the building’s decorative terra cotta cornice were removed, which further compromised the building’s integrity. It’s highly disappointing that the owner of the historic building allowed the deferred maintenance to get extreme enough to force an emergency demolition order for reasons of structural instability and safety.
The owner of record is the City of Chicago.
Additional Reading
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Urgent Concern for Long-Vacant Hyde Park Church
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Fifth Church of Christ Scientist/Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 4820 S. Dorchester Avenue, Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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In response to growing concern over the deteriorating condition of the Fifth Church of Christ Scientist/later known as Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, due to its long-term vacancy, Preservation Chicago has redoubled its efforts to find a patron for this building. Designed by Solon S. Beman in 1905, the church is located at 4820 S. Dorchester Avenue in the Hyde Park - Kenwood Landmark District. The effort has yielded initial positive results and a preservation-sensitive developer is potentially interested in purchasing and adaptively reusing this contributing building in a Chicago Landmark District.
Preservation Chicago appeared along with concerned members of the Hyde Park - Kenwood Community at the Building Court hearing on November 30, 2017. The current owner has been non-responsive and the emergency demolition of the rear portion of the building was discussed during the hearing. Preservation Chicago continues to advocate to prevent demolition of this important historic landmark and continues to try to bring more preservation-oriented parties into the conversation. Another Building Court hearing is scheduled for December 14, 2017 at Daley Center, 11th Floor. All interested individuals and organizations are encouraged to attend.
Additional Reading
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Bush Temple of Music Celebrates Project Completion
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Bush Temple of Music, 800 N. Clark Street, Historic Photo Credit: Chicagology.com
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A celebration to recognize the completion of the restoration of the Bush Temple of Music was held on November 9, 2017. The six-story Chicago Landmark is located on Chicago Avenue at Clark Street. Designed by architect J.E.O. Pridmore and constructed in 1901, the building is a rare largescale example of French Renaissance Revival style architecture in Chicago.
Bush & Gerts Piano Company was one of Chicago's leading piano manufacturers when they built the Bush Temple of Music as their headquarters. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chicago was the center of musical instrument manufacturing and sheet music publishing, with many musical manufacturers clustered on “Music Row” along South Wabash Avenue in proximity to the Auditorium Building, extending approximately from Jackson to Congress.
Redeveloped by Cedar Street Companies with Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA), the adaptive reuse transformed the building into an apartment building comprised of 101 studio and one-bedroom apartments. Approximately 8,500 square foot ground floor space will remain retail and it has been reported that Heritage Bicycles will open a combination café and bike shop.
“Exterior scope of work included new storefronts with trim to match the original historic iron details. Masonry work included repairs to the glazed brick, replacement of missing terra cotta units, and repair/reconstruction of missing terra cotta pilasters. The iconic but deteriorated roof was replaced and missing decorative features at the roofline were reinstalled. Interior work included restoring significant details such as skylights, original marble wainscoting, terrazzo flooring, and original single-panel doors with fritted glass.” (Chicago DPD)
Both the Adopt-a-Landmark incentive and the 20% Federal Historic Tax Credit were used as part of the financing of the development. The Bush Temple of Music was designated a Chicago landmark on June 27, 2001 which protected the building until it could be renovated some 15 years later.
On October 24, 2017, adaptive reuse of the Bush Temple of Music was honored by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks as an outstanding example of historic adaptive reuse with the annual Preservation Excellence Awards.
Preservation Chicago applauds the efforts of Cedar Street Companies and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA) for stepping forward to “breath life” back into one of Chicago’s great architectural buildings.
Additional Reading
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St. Angela Church Demolition Looms
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St. Angela Church, 1300 N. Massasoit Street, Photo Credit: Google Street View
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After a six month delay, the St. Angela Church demolition has been rescheduled for December 18, 2017. Located in the Austin community at 1300 N. Massasoit Street and Potomac Avenue, this Roman Catholic Church was shuttered in May 2005. St. Angela School has continued to thrive with over 300 children enrolled. To make a more expansive open green space for the children and to avoid the cost of repairs, the Archdiocese of Chicago decided to close and demolish the church, convent and rectory buildings. Despite being built between 1949 and 1951, these traditional designed religious buildings were of fine quality construction with carved stone decoration and could have been repurposed for another use.
"This is really one of the last of its kind," said Lynn Fredrick, St. Angela's director of advancement. "It was a beautiful church."
"The first thing that grabbed your senses were the windows and their strikingly vivid colors," notes an auction ad book from a 2009 brunch the school hosted. "They were made up of thousands of small pieces of imported antique glass assembled by lead jointing."
The high altar was made of "brightly colored foreign marble, highlighted with rare Florentine mosaic." The windows, "30 feet high and 14 feet wide, were the largest windows ever made by the celebrated firm of Giannini & Hilgart, under the personal supervision of Mr. Fred Hilgart." As reported by Michael Romain, in the OakPark.com.
Preservation Chicago has been working with members of the Austin communities to advocate to save the church building, but efforts to reuse the building with a program that would be acceptable to the School and Archdiocese of Chicago have been challenging.
Additional Reading
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Obama Presidential Center to Receive Federal Review
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Jackson Park, Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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UPDATE: The Obama Presidential Center plans are moving to the next step which requires federal review. Because the 1871 Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux-designed Jackson Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, requires the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to determination whether legitimate efforts are being made to minimize adverse effects on the historic park.
These federal reviews mark “the first time to think holistically about the park,” said Charles Birnbaum, the president and CEO of the nonprofit Cultural Landscape Foundation based in Washington. Jackson Park “is at the tipping point. Altogether the confiscation of 20-plus acres for the Obama Presidential Center, golf course consolidation and expansion, new roads, impacts on the lakefront, loss of historic trees, and a parking garage at the Midway, result in a massive adverse effect on the National Register of Historic Places designated park.” (Sweet, Chicago Sun-Times, 11/26/17)
On May 3rd before a packed meeting held at the South Shore Cultural Center, President Obama unveiled plans for the Obama Presidential Center. To be located on nine acres on Jackson Park, Obama intends the library initiative to be a “transformational project for this community.” He hopes the Presidential Center creates a dynamic hub on the South Side that will serve as a training institute for young people and the next generation of leadership.
The planned three building campus surrounding a plaza space includes two low-slung buildings with landscaped rooftop gardens and a monumental 180-foot tall stone-clad building (now possibly revised to 220-feet tall). To provide some additional context, the 11-story Reva and David Logan Center for Arts at the University of Chicago is 168 feet tall, and the 11-story historic Chicago Landmark Hyde Park Bank Building at 53rd and Harper is 135 feet tall. The proposed Obama Presidential Library would be taller the both of these structures.
The proposed multi-story parking garage added in recent plans for the Midway Plaisance has generated widespread opposition, including the formation of the group, Friends of the Midway, and in response to the outcry, the design team agreed to reconsider alternatives at a recent public meeting.
The design team includes architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, and Brooklyn-based landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh. The Foundation and design team has indicated that they are aware that they are designing within the context of a one of the most important landscapes, designed by one the worlds’ greatest landscape designers. Jackson Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who also designed New York’s Central Park.
If the Obama Presidential Center is built in Jackson Park, Preservation Chicago would like to see the Center formally adopt all of Jackson Park’s upkeep and to restore a number of historic buildings within the park that have fallen into significant disrepair such as the Comfort Station located at 6600 S. South Shore Drive, the Iowa Building, walking paths, bridges, and other features.
The current plan calls for the closure of Cornell Drive as it winds through Jackson Park. The original Frederick Law Olmsted plans called for this parkway drive. Preservation Chicago supports the narrowing of Cornell Drive to more closely follow the original design intent which would create a slower, more pastoral boulevard along the western shore of the Lagoon. This would reverse much of the impact caused by widening Cornell Drive in the 1960’s.
Preservation Chicago supports the Obama Presidential Center coming to Chicago’s South Side and the economic stimulus it will generate, but not on public land and instead relocate to nearby private land. Additionally, we believe that adjustments to the location could significantly offset the negative impacts without compromising the projects benefits and goals.
During an interview with WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, Ward Miller suggested, if the Center is built in Jackson Park, that a more appropriate location for the Center within the Park would be a few blocks further south within Jackson Park on 64th and Stony Island where a rundown storage facility, a 1950’s era field house, and an overgrown tennis court could be cleared for the Center with less impact to the Frederick Law Olmsted design and the loss of fewer old-growth trees. Also, this would bring it into closer proximity to Theaster Gate’s highly dynamic Stony Island Arts Bank adaptive reuse development and a more positive impact on 67th Street.
“This could be a middle ground here. This is a part of the park that could welcome the building without impacting it in a huge way,” said Miller.
The current selected location by the Obama Presidential Foundation in Jackson Park was the site of several extraordinary buildings from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition including, the Woman’s Building, the Children’s Building, the Horticulture Building, and the Transportation Building. This site is an important archeological site as the foundations of these structures remain hidden just below the soil line.
The Women’s Building [from the World’s Columbian Exposition] was so important on so many levels and designed by architect, Sophia Hayden, her first and only commission. This was the beginning of the recognition of many achievements of women and a platform, which still impacts us today. It should be a celebrated site, to this remarkable history, and the achievement of a magnificent Beaux-Arts building.” (Ward Miller, Letter to Editor, Hyde Park Herald)
Jackson Park and the Midway Plaisance are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The environmental impact of building on the currently proposed site would significant. This site is highly wooded with many old-growth trees. “We're looking at the loss of hundreds and hundreds of trees in Jackson Park either diminished or lost or cut – in addition to numerous baseball diamonds and a really first-class football field with a running track that’s relatively new and well used,” said Ward Miller. These features would be lost or need to be relocated elsewhere in the Park.
Preservation Chicago remains concerned over the precedent being set by converting public park land to other uses. One alternate location outside of Jackson Park that could be considered is the South Shore Cultural Center.
President Obama envisions the Center as a cultural hub and a training institute for the next generation of leadership. “Unlike traditional presidential libraries which house thousands of physical documents, the Jackson Park facility will provide digital access to President Obama’s archives, freeing up space for civic use including activities like basketball, dance recitals, and yoga classes. A community garden and test kitchen focused on nutritious foods (a cause championed by former First Lady Michelle Obama) could also be in the cards for Jackson Park.” Koziarz, 11/6/17)
The South Shore Cultural Center already provides many of these services, but programming and maintenance of this large historic building is a challenge for the budget constrained Chicago Park District.
While the South Shore Cultural Center enjoys 60 spectacular acres of lakefront property, the grounds and former country club buildings is now a cultural center with limited events and corporate functions. The South Shore Nature Sanctuary in the southeast corner of the grounds should be protected.
The South Shore Cultural Center building itself is a remarkable Mediterranean Revival Designated Chicago Landmark designed by Marshall & Fox in 1916. The formal ballrooms and meeting spaces already feel “presidential” with their formal classical revival detailing and ornament. Not surprisingly, the unveiling of the Center plan was held at the South Shore Cultural Center which easily accommodated the 300 attendees and created an elegant backdrop for the press conference. The site is a surrounded by a fence which would better control access and security for presidential and diplomatic functions.
Additionally, the Obama’s have a strong personal connection with the South Shore Cultural Center, as this was where they held their wedding reception in 1992.
The Metra Electric Line/Illinois Central Station is steps from the South Shore Cultural Center’s Gatehouse. The Metra Electric is already a cultural transit connection, originating at Millennium Park/Chicago Cultural Center, with stops at the Art Institute, the Museum Campus, Prairie Avenue, McCormick Place, Museum of Science and Industry, University of Chicago, and South Shore Cultural Center.
The commercial corridor on 71st Street would profoundly benefit from the proximity to the Center. Unlike the current location in Jackson Park which borders a residential district, the existing 71st Street commercial corridor would more easily allow the beneficial economic impacts to be transferred into the surrounding communities in the form of new restaurants, shops, and jobs.
Jackson Park appears on the Preservation Chicago 2017 Most Endangered list.
Additional Reading
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Let’s Restore the UPTOWN THEATRE Petition!
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Uptown Theatre, Photo Credit: Friends of the Uptown
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Uptown Theatre Grande Lobby, Photo Credit: Jack Miller/Friends of the Uptown
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Preservation Chicago and the Friends of Uptown Theatre have sponsored the petition "Mayor Rahm Emanuel: Restore the Uptown!" Momentum is growing, but we need your help!
PLEASE add your name and spread the word. Please consider sharing this with your friends and family via email and social media.
At the time of publication, we had received over 7,635 signatures. Our new goal is to reach 10,000 signatures and we need your support to make that happen.
Shuttered since 1981, the Uptown Theatre means so much to the people of Uptown and Chicago. Its restoration and reuse would bring jobs and make a positive economic impact on the neighborhood and Chicago.
It can be done. Across town in Logan Square, the 3,500 capacity Congress Theater, a Designated Chicago Landmark, recently began an extensive $65 million renovation by developer Michael Moyer with “the goal to ensure the building last another 100 years” according to the architect Andy Tinucci. Sources tell Preservation Chicago that the restoration of the Uptown Theater is similar at an estimated $70 million.
"We've come very far in the 50 years since the demolition of the Garrick Theater and Chicago Stock Exchange building when your common citizen may not have been involved in architectural preservation," said Ward Miller, Executive Director of Preservation Chicago. "But this is another example of a project that has so much good potential in so many ways and something that could positively impact the entire Uptown Entertainment District." (LaTrace, 8/22/17)
"At some point, these projects have to become someone's priority," added Andy Pierce from Friend of Uptown Theatre. "The Uptown Theatre is one of our great landmarks and we're looking for a solution." (LaTrace, 8/22/17)
Your support for the restoration and reuse of the Chicago Landmark Uptown Theatre for entertainment and other special events will help create jobs for the community and help make the Uptown Square Entertainment District a vital destination.
Additional Reading
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Save the Woodruff Arcade Petition
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Woodruff Arcade Interior, Photo Credit: Ward Miller/Preservation Chicago
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Proposed New Construction to Replace Historic Woodruff Arcade, Rendering Credit: Borecki Real Estate
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What has been reported to be the last remaining arcade in Chicago, and one of the last remaining in the nation, is threatened with demolition and replacement with a seven-story building. Located at the corner of Broadway, Devon and Sheridan in Edgewater, the 94-year old Woodruff Arcade has served dozens of small tenants since it was first opened circa 1923.
“In 1922, W.J. Woodruff received a building permit from the city for his arcade, according to the Edgewater Historical Society. Architect Herbert Green designed a handsome but utilitarian red brick building that opens up inside with iron staircases, large interior windows into the internal courtyard, and that big skylight.” (WBEZ, 6/22/17)
The Edgewater Historical Society is leading an effort to Save the Woodruff Arcade with a petition drive focused at convincing 48th Ward Alderman Osterman to oppose the demolition. According to the Society’s webpage, the 48th Ward alderman can save this building if there is sufficient community support.
The arcade currently houses over a dozen small business and offices. All tenants were given notice that they would need to vacate their spaces by December 31, 2017. The former owner operated the arcade for over 30 years, but sold the building to Borekci Real Estate, a company based in Ankara, Turkey, and Algonquin Venture Real Estate LLC based in Northbrook, Illinois.
Preservation Chicago and the Edgewater Historical Society recently met with Alderman Osterman and advocated for the preservation of the building, even if the new development is built atop, or straddles the existing Woodruff Arcade. Alderman Osterman requested that the developers met with architect Thom Greene and Preservation Chicago to see if the accommodations could be made.
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Mid-Century Bank Threatened with Demolition
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PNC Bank, 3844 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Photo Credit: Google Street View
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Proposed Drive-Thru ATM to Replace Mid-Century Modern PNC Bank at 3844 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Rendering Credit: Hezner Corporation
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PNC Bank is proposing the demolition of the Mid-Century Modern building located at 3844 West Belmont Avenue and Milwaukee Avenue in Avondale to make way for a drive-thru ATM and parking lot. The building’s limestone and Roman brick façade, second story with glass block, strong horizontal lines, step-backs, and rounded corner elements make it a good example of neighborhood Mid-Century Modern with some Art Moderne details. This pedestrian-friendly building is built up to the sidewalk and anchors the corner.
A special use permit is required to allow the proposal to move forward. Preservation Chicago supports neighborhood partners such as the Greater Avondale Chamber of Commerce and the Polish community and encourages 30th Ward Alderman Ariel Reboyras to request that PNC Bank seek a more thoughtful and appropriate solution for the important Milwaukee Avenue commercial corridor and corner. The solution should be more consistent with the highly walkable, pedestrian-friendly stretches of Milwaukee Avenue to the south in Logan Square.
As reported by AJ LaTrace in Chicago Streets Blog, “I would like Alderman Reboyras to protect the structures that are here and saved for future generations,” said Daniel Pogorzelski, a co-author of the book Avondale and Chicago’s Polish Village, former director of the Greater Avondale Chamber of Commerce.
“The demolition of this building would leave a gaping hole in the fabric of a community that many are not cognizant of.” Pogorzelski also suggests that PNC consider selling the building to another institution or business to be reused and preserved if PNC cannot feasibly repurpose the building.
“The building was built by the Slowick family, which was very involved in Avondale, the Polish Village, and Chicago politics,” Pogorzelski explained.
“By demolishing the built environment at that important intersection, you’re not only getting rid of architectural heritage, but you’re literally obliterating an important piece of the history of the Polish people in Avondale.”
“Pogorzelski added that he and Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago had previously tried to protect buildings across the street which also played important roles in the history of the Polish Village. Pogorzelski says that raising awareness of the cultural history of these buildings is critical to their preservation.” (LaTrace, ChicagoStreetsBlog, 11/20/17)
Additional Reading
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Ward Miller Presenting Power Session at PastForward Chicago Conference, Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Ward Miller Explores “The Development of the Skyscraper in Chicago” at the National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference in Chicago
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Ward Miller presented “The Development of the Skyscraper in Chicago: The Tall Building Artistically Considered” to a full house during the National Trust Conference at the Palmer House Hilton. The session explored both famous and lesser known Chicago buildings and the architects that forged a new way to build tall buildings, first in Chicago and then the world. The combination of good design, innovative engineering, and unprecedented functionality became the new international standard.
Some of the buildings discussed during the session included the now demolished Leiter I Building, the Masonic Temple, the Great Northern Hotel, the Tacoma Building, the Ashland Block, the Insurance Exchange, the Garrick/Schiller Building, and the Chicago Stock Exchange Building.
Others existing landmark buildings included the Auditorium Building, Leiter II Building, Manhattan Building, Old Colony Building, Fisher Building, Monadnock Building, Rookery, New York Life Building, Marquette Building, Reliance Building, Schlesinger & Mayer/Carson Pirie Scott Store, and the McClurg Building (a red-rated building which is not a protected Chicago Landmark.)
PastForward is the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s premier annual conference for those passionate about saving historic places and space. This year’s highly successful conference was held in Chicago on November 14th to 17th and headquartered at the Palmer House Hilton with opening events at the Auditorium Theater and Field Museum.
The preservation community applauds the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and the Alphawood Foundation for their generous sponsorship of the conference, which helped to make this year’s event in Chicago one of the most memorable in recent years.
Art, advocacy, and innovation are the hallmarks of preservation in Chicago, where outstanding architecture and diverse neighborhoods have become a proving ground for preservation approaches.
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Indow, Photo Credit: www.IndowWindows.com
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Indow Sponsors Celebration for Preservation Chicago and the Rust Belt Coalition of Young Preservationists
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Indow sponsored an after-hours celebration for Preservation Chicago and the Rust Belt Coalition of Young Preservationists during the National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference on November 15, 2017. The after-party celebrated the efforts and successes of the preservation community in Chicago, the Midwest and across the county.
The company is an innovative manufacturer of interior storm windows specifically designed to make historic windows high performance too. They seek to create practical and innovative solutions to save original windows from being replaced in the name of efficiency with custom interior thermal window inserts.
The well-attended event was held in the historic factory designed by Adler and Sullivan for Adolph Loeb in 1888. Located 111 W. Hubbard Street, this once industrial building, was later modified to apartments, and has since been transformed into a hip club called Celeste.
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Lincoln Montana Building Doorway, Photo Credit: Ward Miller
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If you value preservation in Chicago...
please support Preservation Chicago!
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Preservation Chicago is a small organization with a big impact. In a city the size of Chicago, every element of YOUR support counts.
Please CHOOSE to support historic preservation in Chicago today!
- Spread the Word! Support preservation in Chicago by reading and reposting Facebook and Twitter posts!
- Be Heard! Support preservation in Chicago by attending community meetings and standing up to make my voice heard!
- Be Counted! Support preservation in Chicago by taking a moment to sign online petitions!
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 501c3 non-profit so your donation is tax-deductible. It's fast, easy and directly helps the effort to protect Chicago’s historic legacy.
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CALL FOR 2018 NOMINATIONS for Preservation Chicago 7 Most Endangered Buildings List
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63rd and Ashland, Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Open call for nominations for Preservation Chicago's 2018 Chicago 7 Most Endangered List.
If there is a historic building or buildings in your neighborhood that you are concerned about, PLEASE take a minute and let us know about it.
Thank you!
Phone: 773.334.8800
Email: info@preservationchicago.com
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