September 2019 Month-in-Review Newsletter
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Old Water Tower Celebrates 150-Year Anniversary
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Chicago Water Tower, William Boyington, 1869. Photo Credit: Ward Miller / Preservation Chicago
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"Officials on Saturday, September 14, 2019 marked the 150th anniversary of Chicago’s iconic Water Tower, which has stood more than 150 feet tall in the heart of the Gold Coast neighborhood for generations.
"The limestone tower, built in 1869 by architect William Boyington, is one of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, making it “as much an icon of our identity as our lake or our flag, representing both our ingenuity, architectural heritage and boundless resiliency as a people,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement.
“Just as our city has been shaped around it, it has also shaped us, bridging our past to our present, and continuously guiding our future for generations to come,” Lightfoot said.
”It’s truly an architectural survivor that’s been an inspiration to many,” said lecturer John Maxson, former president and CEO of the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association."
“We all know that it was the only municipal building in town to survive the Great Chicago Fire, but it also survived developers trying to tear it down...and the city trying to tear it down to try and straighten Michigan Avenue.” (Wittich, 9/14/19)
The Old Chicago Water Tower is a much beloved Landmark which was almost demolished multiple times during the 1960s and 1970s. It's a miracle that it has survived and this is largely due to strong public pressure to protect it.
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ADVOCACY
- CELEBRATION: Water Tower
- THREATENED: Loretto Academy
- THREATENED: Union Station Power House
- THREATENED: American Taxi Service Building
- WIN: Clarendon Park Field House
- THREATENED: Bronzeville ComEd Substation
- WIN: James R. Thompson Center Historical Society Formed
- THREATENED: Salvation Army River West Site
- POTENTIAL WIN: Clark Street Apartment Building Hotel
- LOSS: Puerto Rican Community Center
- WIN: Protections for Pilsen Homeowners Against Predatory Brokers and Developers
- WIN: Little Village Loft Building
- WIN: St. James Methodist Church In Kenwood
- WIN: First Church of Deliverance
- LOSS: Crawford Power Station
- THREATENED: South Shore Nature Sanctuary
- LOSS: Historic Wachowski-Ray House in Jefferson Park
- THREATENED: 4403 S. Oakenwald
- THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay Highlights
- LOSS: Spotlight on Demolition
NEWS
- RADIO: What's That Building? Inside The Former Armour Institute Of Technology
- RADIO: Landmark Why Chicago’s Depression-Era School Murals Sparked Debates About Art And Politics For 80 Years
EVENTS
- Successful Ward Miller September Lectures
- Successful Roseland Community Survey Event
- Upcoming Preservation Chicago Architecture Biennial Events:
- Chicago 7 Bus Tour, Saturday, October 5 (sold-out)
- Benefits for All: Historic Preservation and Affordable Housing, Tuesday, October 29
- Community, History, Place and Equity, Tuesday, November 12
- Jazz Age Party at Glessner House
- Volunteer for Open House Chicago 2019
- Start Planning your itinerary for Open House Chicago 2019
- 46th Annual Historic Pullman House Tour
- Schweikher House Tour on Docomomo Tour Day
- Geometry of Light by Luftwerk & Iker Gil at National Trust Historic Site Farnsworth House
- James R. Thompson Center Historical Society Tours
PETITIONS
- Petition: Make Chicago Vocational School a Historic Landmark!
- Petition: Halt the Demolition of One of Bronzeville's Historic Substations
LOST CHICAGO...BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
- Diana Court at the Michigan Square Building
SUPPORT
- Please Support Preservation Chicago!
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THREATENED: Loretto Academy Building to be Sold at Foreclosure Auction on October 28, 2019
(Chicago 7 2019)
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Loretto Academy / The Institute of the Blessed Virgin, William P. Doerr, 1905 with 1927 addition, 1447 E. 65th Street. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Loretto Academy / The Institute of the Blessed Virgin, William P. Doerr, 1905 with 1927 addition, 1447 E. 65th Street. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Loretto Academy / The Institute of the Blessed Virgin, William P. Doerr, 1905 with 1927 addition, 1447 E. 65th Street. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Loretto Academy / The Institute of the Blessed Virgin, William P. Doerr, 1905 with 1927 addition, 1447 E. 65th Street. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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After many years of vacancy and deferred maintenance, the former Loretto Academy/The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Building located at 1447 E. 65th Street in Woodlawn will be sold at auction at a foreclosure auction. The building was owned by The Woodlawn Organization and controlled by Reverend Leon Finney. The foreclosure auction will be held October 28 at 10:30. Pre-auction open houses are scheduled for October 4 from 10 to 12 and October 10 from 1 to 3. Pre-registration required. Please see Auction Brochure for more details.
Loretto Academy and The Institute of the Blessed Virgin (Mary) is a picturesque four-and-a-half-story building, with a three-and-a-half story addition, situated in Chicago’s Woodlawn community and a short distance west of historic Jackson Park. It was designed by William P. Doerr in 1905 with a 1927 addition. The area was known locally as “Carmelite Way,” with several former and present Catholic institutions including The Shrine and Institute of Christ the King (originally St. Clara Church and School and later St. Clara--St. Cyril, then St. Gelasius), Mount Carmel High School and the affiliation with this once prominent school for girls. After the school closed in the early 1970s, the Loretto Academy building served a variety of uses and has been subject to a long period of disinvestment and neglect. It is currently vacant and has fallen into disrepair.
While owners and uses have changed over the past four decades, the building has been vacant and mothballed in recent years. In addition, vandals have removed much of the patinated copper cornice and fascia of the upper facades. Large blue tarps were stretched over the high gabled mansard roofs over the last couple of years, and these have become shredded over time. While the building appears secure, we are concerned that water infiltration from a leaking roof may be contributing to further deterioration of the building.
This remarkable building should be considered for a reuse by another institution or as residential housing. The community is in need of permanent, affordable housing, and its close proximity to several transportation lines makes it an ideal location for such a use. It could also be used in tandem with Mount Carmel High School, as it is situated across the street from Mount Carmel’s Athletic Fields on 65th Street and a short distance to Stony Island Avenue and nearby Jackson Park.
Prior to the current foreclosure proceedings, the former Loretto Academy Building was currently owned by Reverend Leon Finney of the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church located in the Bronzeville community. Reverend Finney is also the long-time president of The Woodlawn Organization and the Woodlawn Community Development Corporation.
The foreclosure auction will be held October 28 at 10:30. Pre-auction open houses are scheduled for October 4 from 10 to 12 and October 10 from 1 to 3. Pre-registration required. Please see Auction Brochure for more details.
Additional Reading
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THREATENED: CALLING ALL DEVELOPERS
Buyer
Needed for Union Station Power House Before Amtrak Proceeds with Demolition
(Chicago 7 2017)
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Union Station Power House, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, 1932, 301 W. Taylor Street. Brochure Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Union Station Power House, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, 1932, 301 W. Taylor Street. Brochure Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Union Station Power House, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, 1932, 301 W. Taylor Street. Brochure Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Union Station Power House, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, 1932, 301 W. Taylor Street. Brochure Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Historic Chicago Union Station Power House . AVAILABLE for adaptive reuse as data center, chilling plant or other use. Not formally listed for sale, so unique opportunity to add value.
The Opportunity:
Available for adaptive reuse as a data center, chilling center or other use, the Union Station Power House by one of Chicago’s greatest architectural firms is in close proximity to central business district. Amtrak has plans to demolish the building at an estimated cost of $13 million and replace it with a surface parking lot. Not formally listed for sale, ANY purchase offer would save Amtrak millions of dollars. Opportunity for a variety of development funds.
Benefits:
• Solid masonry fireproof building
• Zoned: DS-5
• Height: 115’
• Footprint: 9,000 sf (95’x95’)
• Potential square footage: 100,000
• Central Location Close to Central Business District, Loop and South Loop
• Close proximity to exchanges, financial district and tech firms
• Proximity to fiber optic trunk lines
• Adjacent to Chicago River for low-cost cooling plant option
• Adjacent to ComEd electric substation
Potential Eligibility:
• 20% Federal Tax Credits
• Illinois Historic Tax Credits
• Adopt-a-Landmark Funds
• Class L Tax Designation
• Permit fee waivers
301 W. Taylor Street, Chicago Illinois By Graham, Anderson, Probst & White in 1932
For more information, please contact Ward Miller Executive Director, Preservation Chicago, 773-398-6432
History:
Visible from the Roosevelt Road Bridge, the iconic and austere Chicago Union Station Power House,
with its streamlined Art Moderne facades and smokestacks, exemplifies the story of Chicago’s growth as a railroad and transportation center beginning in the pioneering days of the 1850s. The Union Station Power House is part of a network of buildings, systems, and rail tracks constructed in the 1920s by the architectural firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, which included Chicago’s Union Station, it's Great Hall and Grand Waiting Room, along with the separate Concourse Building. The Chicago Union Station Power House has been out of service since 2011, is currently mothballed, and is being considered for demolition. When designed in 1931, it was referred to as the “boiler plant.”
The architects of the Union Station Power House were Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, a firm that descended from the architectural firm of Daniel Burnham. They designed many of Chicago’s most iconic buildings, including the Wrigley Building, the Field Building (both Chicago Landmarks), the Merchandise Mart, and many other notable structures, both in Chicago and across the United States.
The strong verticality of the Power House, from its linear groupings of parallel window bands to its tall chimneys, emphasize the building’s strength. Its massive cream-colored brick walls, horizontal stone banding and austere ornament create additional visual impact. Unique in form, this is a rare example of power house industrial design by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White.
Amtrak is the current owner of the building and has determined that this structure may no longer be necessary for its operations. Therefore, they are conducting federally mandated “Section 106 Hearings,” to determine if it may be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. However, these hearings do not rule out demolition of the structure in the future. Demolition would be an expensive option, costing millions of dollars of taxpayer funds, to create a paved asphalt parking lot adjoining the Chicago River.
Preservation Chicago recognizes the limitations of the site, with railroad tracks to the west and the South Branch of the Chicago River to the east. However, we would encourage a clever adaptive reuse of the building and site by either another service utility, like the nearby ComEd facilities, or another user. The idea of a third-party use could stimulate long-range plans for addressing the riverfront along this stretch of the South Branch and could catalyze the creation of riverfront access, riverfront green space and perhaps even a future riverwalk. This would serve as an amenity for the many nearby residents and commercial enterprises.
We believe that the Union Station Power House’s connection to Chicago’s incredible railroad and architectural history makes it a prime candidate for a Chicago Landmark Designation. A Chicago Landmark designation for this unique building would ensure its preservation and reuse. A preservation outcome for this building would be a win-win for Chicago, Amtrak Rail Systems, and future generations of Chicagoans.
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THREATENED: American Taxi Service Building To Be Demolished By the University of Chicago for a... Vacant Lot
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The American Taxi Service Building, Built 1928, 5608 S. Stony Island Avenue. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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The American Taxi Service Building, Built 1928, 5608 S. Stony Island Avenue. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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"Demolition of the University of Chicago-owned American Taxi Service building at 5608 S. Stony Island Ave is expected to begin this week and will continue until the end of November.
"At a September 26 community meeting regarding the demolition, University officials said they have no plans for the future of the property, which is located steps from the recently-built Solstice on the Park luxury apartment complex and just a few blocks from the proposed site of the Obama Presidential Center.
"The American Taxi Service building, built in 1928, was formerly used by Facilities Services and later converted into a rehearsal space for Court Theatre. However, Court Theatre moved out of the space in 2013. It has been vacant since then.
"University of Chicago officials say the historic brick and terracotta building’s deteriorating condition made demolition necessary.
“The building is in terrible disrepair and it’s unsafe,” said Wendy Walker Williams, Executive Director of Community Partnerships for the Office of Civic Engagement.
"Asked whether the University had considered renovating or rehabilitating the building instead of demolishing it, Williams said further inquiries should go through the University of Chicago press office." (Kirsch, Chicago Maroon)
Its true that the American Taxi Service Building received a Building Code Violation From the City of Chicago on June 11, 2019. The reason for the violation was a failure of representatives for the University of Chicago to meet the inspector to provide interior access. As a result, the inspector was unable to verify the status of the smoke detectors.
On behalf of the University of Chicago and in exchange for halting the demolition of the American Taxi Service Building, Preservation Chicago offers to coordinate with the city insector to provide interior access and to be responsible for replacing any dead batteries found within the interior smoke detectors.
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American Taxi Service Building Code Violation Notice June 11, 2019. Image Credit: City of Chicago
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WIN: After Multi-Year Effort to Prevent Demolition, Clarendon Park Field House Will Be Renovated! (Chicago 7 2015)
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Clarendon Park Community Center, C.W. Kallal, 1916. Rendering Credit: William Architects
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Clarendon Park Community Center, C.W. Kallal, 1916.
Historic Postcard Credit: Chuckman Collection
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Clarendon Park Community Center, C.W. Kallal, 1916.
Historic Postcard Credit: Chuckman Collection
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After many years of preservation advocacy efforts for the Clarendon Park Fieldhouse and Community Center, the final decision for the renovation and restoration of this historic building was made by the Chicago Park District with support from 46th Ward Alderman James Cappleman. Since the beginning of this process, the more likely outcome had been the demolition of the historic building and the construction of a much smaller field house.
The Clarendon Park Fieldhouse and Community Center plays a central role in providing many programs and services for the Uptown community and its youth, including after school programs, summer camps, basketball programs, and is home to Kuumba Lynx and the Garfield Clarendon Model Railroad Club. It serves as an invaluable safe haven for teenagers and young adults. It is essential that the building remains open for the community during a multi-phased renovation and reconstruction. The demolition of this building would have endangered or ended many community services and programs that have been based in the Clarendon Park Fieldhouse and Community Center.
The Clarendon Park Community Center, originally called the Clarendon Municipal Bathing Beach, was built in 1916 as a state-of-the-art facility. Clarendon Municipal Bathing Beach was once one of “the largest and best equipped of all of the beaches in the city” and was considered one of the most popular civic achievements of its time. It could accommodate over 9,000 swimmers and included a promenade for thousands of spectators. The building remained popular until the 1930s when landfill moved the shoreline further east and created Clarendon Park. It was further separated from the Lake Michigan shoreline by extensions of Lake Shore Drive in the early 1950s.
The building was designed by city architect C.W. Kallal in a Mediterranean Revival Style. This “Italian Resort Style” became the model for such other highly regarded lakefront buildings including Marshall and Fox’s South Shore Country Club of 1916 (now South Shore Cultural Center), the 63rd Street Bathing Pavilion in 1919, the Edgewater Beach Hotel in 1916 and 1924 and demolished in 1967, and the Edgewater Beach Apartments in 1928. This style was defined by tall towers capped with hipped-roofs clad in clay tiles, large entry colonnades, porticos, loggias and open-air promenades.
Overtime but especially during a 1972 “modernization” effort, the distinctive tall towers fronting Clarendon Avenue and the smaller towers fronting the beach, along with the entry colonnade, verandas, open-air loggias and tile roof were demolished and replaced with a massive flat roof. The unsightly metal fascia greatly impacted both the aesthetics and functionality of the original historic structure. The significant modifications to the building resulted in extensive water infiltration and roof issues, which have proved an ongoing challenge.
Preservation Chicago is thrilled to see this important building’s exterior restored to an appearance more similar to its original design in a multi-year, multi-phased project. The distinctive tall towers fronting Clarendon Avenue and the smaller towers fronting the beach, along with the entry colonnade and the verandas and open-air rooftop loggias were beautiful and distinctive architecture elements that should never have been removed. We hope to see the reconstruction of some of these missing features during a second phase of restoration which could elevate the Clarendon Park Community Center to its rightful place alongside the 63rd Street Bathing Pavilion and other important lakefront buildings from this period.
Preservation Chicago applauds Ald. James Cappleman for his commitment to seeing the Clarendon Park Community Center protected from demolition and for helping to solidify the necessary renovation funds. Preservation Chicago applauds the Chicago Park District for its flexibility, support and commitment to this important project. The Clarendon Park neighbors and community stakeholders played an essential role in this effort and deserve special recognition for their unwavering support for this wonderful outcome with a special thanks to Katharine Boyda, Melanie Eckner, Martin Tangora, Cindi Anderson, Stuart Berman, the Uptown Historical Society, the Clarendon Park Advisory Council, Uptown United and Uptown Chicago Commission.
Additional Reading
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THREATENED: Demolition Set to Begin at ComEd Substation 626 E. 40th Street (Chicago 7 2018)
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ComEd Substation 626 E. 40th Street, by Hermann von Holst with green demolition fencing in late September 2019. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer
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ComEd Substation 626 E. 40th Street, by Hermann von Holst. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer
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ComEd Substation 626 E. 40th Street, by Hermann von Holst. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer
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ComEd Substation 626 E. 40th Street, by Hermann von Holst. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer
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Unless ComEd decides to place a higher value on the history of the Bronzeville community and honor the historic Hermann von Holst-designed substation at 626 E. 40th Street, the building will be demolished starting the week of October 7.
Despite calls from the community and preservation advocates to release this building for a private restoration, ComEd has not altered its plans to tear down the building and use the vacant lot for storage. Bronzeville is already burdened by many vacant lots and the erosion of its historic buildings and unique character, yet ComEd plans to inflict further damage to the neighborhood.
Other substations in Chicago have been successfully restored and reused, yet ComEd marches forward with its demolition plans. Independent parties have toured inside the space and see no signs of irreparable structural damage. Given its location adjacent to several large city-owned lots, it would be an ideal location for restoration of the substation and new construction of additional housing units.
Over the past year, multiple private developers have expressed interest in the site, but ComEd has refused to provide any information to allow them to do complete their analysis of its viability for redevelopment. Preservation Chicago continues to urge ComEd to stop its destructive planning and offer up this property for private development.
By selling the historic building, ComEd would have generated sales income plus avoided the cost of environmental remediation and demolition. They could have then purchased a larger, more conveniently located vacant lot to store their equipment and still showed a profit.
While it is unlikely ComEd will "see the light" prior to the demolition wrecking of 626 E. 40th Street, Preservation Chicago is hopeful that the ComEd's embarrassment due to widespread community support, the strong response to the online petition and the attention from the press including the Chicago Tribune will encourage them to more forward-thinking going forward with its other dormant substations – especially 6141 S. Prairie.
"Those leading efforts to halt the demolition said Bronzeville has long been an under-invested neighborhood in need of economic revitalization, and would benefit from the substation being redeveloped instead of demolished.
“That substation is a handsome, well constructed building in an area that has an abundance of vacant and unused lots,” said Bernard Loyd, a co-founder of Preservation Bronzeville. “That building represents a link to an important past use and an opportunity for a creative reuse that would help activate all of the vacant spaces around it.”
"ComEd’s plan to tear down the substation comes less than a year after a 1906 Boston Store stable in Bronzeville, just several blocks south of the substation, was demolished. That demolition largely prompted the creation of Preservation Bronzeville, Loyd said." (Chen, 9/13/19)
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WIN: Newly Formed James R. Thompson Center Historical Society "Invites The Public In" (Chicago 7 2016, 2018 & 2019)
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James R. Thompson Center / State of Illinois Building. Photo Credit: Serhii Chrucky
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James R. Thompson Center / State of Illinois Building. Photo Credit: Serhii Chrucky
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"A group of three — an architect, real estate reporter and an architectural historian — have launched the James R. Thompson Center Historical Society “to encourage all to visit the building and contribute to the ongoing discussion of its past, present, and future in Chicago.” The building at 100 W. Randolph St. has long been a love-it-or-hate it part of Chicago history.
"But the historical society — formed by Elizabeth Blasius, Jonathan Solomon, and AJ LaTrace — has a deep appreciation for the building, no matter what ends up happening to it. LaTrace said the Thompson Center “was supposed to be a symbolic gesture.”
“It was supposed to be an optimistic building for the future. And it was a building that people could be proud of, and the state workers could be proud to work in,” LaTrace said. “And of course, we all know about the issues ... but the reality is it’s an incredibly ambitious building, and we think it’s worthy of not only continuing the discussions but it’s up there with the other notable Chicago landmarks.”
"LaTrace — a blogger and real estate reporter — said the group simply wants Chicagoans to go see the building, which he said “belongs to the residents” as a state-owned property. “What we’re trying to do is invite the public in,” LaTrace said.
"The group makes its case on its website: “As a city known around the world for its contributions to architecture and design, Chicago also has an equally troubling history of discarding many of its most significant structures and public places. We ask a simple question: Do we dare squander Chicago’s great architectural heritage? Our city’s cultural heritage — and the Thompson Center itself — belongs to all Chicagoans.” (Sfondeles, 10/1/19)
Thompson Center Tours will be held
- Thursday, October 17 at Noon - Inaugural tour
- Thursday, October 24 at Noon - Partnering with Docomomo
- Thursday, October 31 at Noon - Bring your favorite ’80s outfit or costume
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THREATENED: Salvation Army River West Site for Sale
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Salvation Army Building, 509 N. Union Avenue. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Salvation Army Building, 509 N. Union Avenue. Photo Credit: Preservation Chicago
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Salvation Army Site Listing. Image Credit: SVN
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The Salvation Army is looking to sell its main downtown campus in the River West neighborhood, hoping to cash in on real estate investors' appetite for land near the gentrifying North Branch of the Chicago River.
The 70,000-square-foot site, which the Salvation Army has owned since 1931 and today serves as its Chicago Adult Rehabilitation Center, does not have a specific asking price. But a source familiar with the offering estimated it could fetch between $30 million and $40 million based on the potential to develop almost 570,000 square feet on the property.
The Salvation Army recently planned to renovate its four buildings on the site, which include housing, a Family Store and warehousing for donated goods, spokeswoman Natalya Khasina said in a statement. But "during the due diligence process, it quickly became apparent that the cost of the upgrade on the aging facilities was exceeding all available resources," the statement said. "A decision was made that it would be in the best interest of the Salvation Army and its supporters to leverage the equity in the owned property and use it to build new facilities for the program." (Ecker, Crain's)
The Salvation Army building at 509 N. Union Avenue is an outstanding building that should be protected and preserved as part of any redevelopment of the site. Preservation Chicago encourages the Salvation Army, 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett, and City of Chicago to make this a requirement upfront so that potential buyers will accommodate this in their plans from the outset.
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POTENTIAL WIN: Historic Apartment Building at 2616 N. Clark Street Could Become Boutique Hotel
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2616-2618 N. Clark St. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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2616-2618 N. Clark St. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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"The new owner of the vintage apartment building next to the popular hot dog joint plans to convert the North Clark Street property into a 20-room boutique hotel, according to a zoning application filed with the City Council. After a night of carousing, hotel guests could swing by the Wieners Circle for a hot dog and an insult before heading up to their rooms.
"Known for the abusive schtick it inflicts on its customers, the Wieners Circle is immediately north of the apartment building at 2616-2618 N. Clark St. Both properties went up for sale last year. In June, owners of the Wieners Circle bought the restaurant property for $1.5 million, while Chicago-based investor Experiential Capital Group paid $4.1 million for the 17-unit apartment building.
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LOSS: Developer Demolishes Puerto Rican Community Center
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La Casa Puertorriqueña, 1237 N. California, Demolished September 2019. Photo Credit: Mina Bloom / Block Club Chicago
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La Casa Puertorriqueña, 1237 N. California, Demolished September 2019. Photo Credit: Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune
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"State Sen. Iris Martinez, who has been vocal in the fight to save La Casa Puertorriqueña, is livid the beloved Puerto Rican community center is now [demolished].
"According to Martinez, the plan all along was to save the community center at 1237 N. California Ave. and build affordable housing around it.
"Martinez said of Paul Roldan, president of Hispanic Housing Development Corporation, the nonprofit developer redeveloping the site, “[He] destroyed our icon.”
“Yesterday was very emotional. I cried. … I’m just livid with the disrespect he has shown our community.”
"Roldan, who didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment, has never said publicly the community center would be saved.
"Asked about the fate of the community center after the court-ordered sale last year, he told Block Club: “It’s an important question we need to figure out with the rest of the community.” Roldan told the Tribune it’s an “iconic location. It’s not an iconic building.” (Bloom, 9/26/19)
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WIN: Protections Passed for Pilsen Homeowners Against Predatory Brokers and Developers
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Pilsen Two-Flat. Photo Credit: Cathie Bond / Preservation Chicago
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"Real estate developers will now have to wait six months before contacting homeowners who have previously rejected their offers to scoop up their property under a new ordinance.
"On [September 18, 2019], a measure aimed at blocking real estate developers from repeatedly pressuring homeowners into selling their homes passed unanimously in City Council.
"The ordinance, sponsored by Pilsen Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), blocks real estate developers from using “predatory tactics to persuade, convince, cajole, pressure, force, harass or otherwise coerce any homeowner to sell their property.”
The measure, which passed the city’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate last week, takes effect immediately. Under the ordinance, developers and real estate investors are not allowed to contact a property owner by email, phone, in person or written letter within a 180-day period after a homeowner said they are not interested in selling. Those violating the rule would face a fine ranging from $2,000 to $10,000.
“This ordinance protects homeowners — particularly our most vulnerable, including seniors,” Sigcho-Lopez said in a statement. “It protects families that have been in their homes for generations and often want to stay but feel forced to succumb to the relentless door knocks and phone calls.”
"In July, Sigcho-Lopez said he introduced the ordinance after constituents in gentrifying Pilsen reported persistent harassment from developers targeting homeowners. After rejecting an offer, constituents were subjected to building inspections, he said." (Pena, 9/18/19)
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WIN: Little Village Loft Building to Be Converted to 60 Units of Affordable Rentals
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2714 W. 21st Street. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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2714 W. 21st Street. Rendering Credit: Resurrection Project
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"After recently introducing a proposal for a new affordable housing development in Pilsen, the Resurrection Project will soon pitch plans for another affordable housing building in neighboring Little Village.
"The Pilsen-based nonprofit aims to bring 60 affordable apartments to 2714 W. 21st St. near the California Pink Line station. The group will introduce their plan for the site at a community meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday night at Hammond Elementary School, 2819 W. 21st Place, according to Ald. George Cardenas’ 12th Ward office.
"Under plans, the Resurrection Project would turn an existing building into an affordable housing development that could include 15 one-bedroom, 30 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom apartments, according to documents posted by Cardenas’ 12th Ward Facebook page." (Pena, 9/10/19)
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WIN: Exterior and Sanctuary of St. James Methodist Church In Kenwood To Be Preserved As Part of Adaptive Reuse Project
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St. James United Methodist Church, 4611 S. Ellis Ave. Photo Credit: ChicagoPC.info
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St. James United Methodist Church, Tallmadge & Watson, 1925, 4611 S. Ellis Ave. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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“Almost a decade after the St. James United Methodist Church said goodbye to its congregation, developers are preparing to submit plans to redevelop the building into apartments. If the developers’ request to rezone the property at 4611 S. Ellis Ave. is approved, the church would be converted to 29 rental units.
"That’s down from the 43 originally planned, according to owner Ibrahim Shihadeh, who cut back after seeing the “beauty” of the church’s sanctuary, chandeliers and stained glass. Instead, the sanctuary will be restored to its original condition and used as a cooperative working space. Individual offices, long tables and cubicles would combine for a total of 15 co-working spaces.
"Ald. Sophia King (4th) hosted the developers as they gathered feedback at a community meeting Tuesday evening. King said she was pleased with the group’s “good ideas” for reusing the old church building.
“I’m just happy that they want to preserve everything,” King said. “If we deal with the parking and get the blessing to go forward … the co-working space would be an enhancement to the community.” (Evans, 9/18/19)
St. James United Methodist Church is a beautiful building and Preservation Chicago encourages the developer to take the steps to designate this building as a Chicago Landmark. In addition to providing it recognition and long-term protections, it could make the building eligible for a variety of funding benefits.
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WIN: Restoration Work Progresses at the First Church of Deliverance
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First Church of Deliverance, 4315 S. Wabash Avenue, Walter T. Bailey, 1939. Photo Credit: Mary Lu Seidel / Preservation Chicago
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First Church of Deliverance, 4315 S. Wabash Avenue, Walter T. Bailey, 1939. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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First Church of Deliverance, 4315 S. Wabash Avenue, Walter T. Bailey, 1939. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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If you have never visited the First Church of Deliverance at 4315 S. Wabash in Bronzeville, please consider visiting it during the Open House Chicago weekend on October 19 and 20. The church is also open for worship services every Sunday at 11 a.m.
The iconic, Art Moderne-style church is unlike most churches you will see in Chicago. Designed in 1939 by the first African-American Architect registered in Illinois, Walter T. Bailey, it was built around an old hat factory. A second story was added and the building was expanded 50 feet to the south beyond the original hat factory footprint. The unique bands of colored terra-cotta blocks are representative of the Art Moderne style. Following restoration effort following a fire in 1945, the distinctive towers were added to the church’s façade.
It is in the midst of a significant restoration effort, thanks in part to a $228,000 Chicago Adopt-A-Landmark Grant. First Church of Deliverance was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1994 making it eligible for Adopt-a-Landmark funds.
First Church of Deliverance received a $228,000 restoration grant from the Chicago Department of Planning and Development Adopt-a-Landmark fund in January 2018. The congregation has used the Adopt-a-Landmark funds to restore the façade, do some tuckpoint, restore its historic murals painted by Chicago-based artist Fred Jones and restore the large wooden front doors. The congregation also replaced the foyer tile in 2018. Funding for the Adopt-a-Landmark program is provided by new development projects in exchange for receiving zoning bonuses.
The founding Paster Rev. Clarence H. Cobbs and his Assistant Rev. Mattie Thornton grew the congregation, and led services that transformed people’s lives. This incredible church and its devoted congregation are emblematic of the spirit and commitment to save a house of worship that pioneered national radio broadcasts of its services and changed the sound of gospel music with the addition of a Hammond electric organ. Additionally, the First Church of Deliverance played a significant role in the history of gospel music. Since the 1940s, its gospel music broadcasts established it as an important national center for the growth and innovation of this musical genre. At one time, it had a 200-person choir. Over the years, gospel and jazz music legends including Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington and Sallie Martin performed at the church for its nationally syndicated Gospel radio program.
Chicago is experiencing an extraordinary construction boom with record-breaking levels of new construction and investment. Preservation Chicago applauds the City of Chicago and its efforts to divert a portion of the massive capital investments in downtown super-tall projects to Chicago Landmarks in the neighborhoods through the Adopt-a-Landmark Fund. This a powerful, successful, and effective tool to help all of Chicago to move forward together and to provide much-needed renovation funds to important Chicago Landmarks located in the neighborhoods and underserved communities. The hope is that these funds will continue to flow into the neighborhoods to help restore Chicago Landmarks suffering from years of deferred maintenance. Preservation Chicago encourages owners of Chicago Landmark buildings to nominate their landmarks to this Adopt-a-Landmark program.
Link to Adopt-a-Landmark program and link to download an application.
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LOSS: Rest In Peace Crawford Power Plant
(Chi 7 2019 and 2014)
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Crawford Power Station during demolition summer 2019. Photo Credit: Mary Lu Seidel
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The demolition continues on the Crawford Power Station in Little Village. As it works its way through the environmental remediation needed in each phase of demolition, Hilco Redevelopment Partners is tearing its way through history.
Little Village residents rallied against Hilco’s plans to demolish the historic building and develop a large distribution warehouse on the 70-acre site. The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, led by Kim Wasserman and a remarkable team of organizers and community advocate, did a valiant job to organize and speak up for the Little Village residents who have decades of environmental inequality.
The community fought successfully to close down the former electric-generating, coal-burning power plant, and they wanted to have a course in seeing what had been a symbol of pain and pollution to become a site of hope and renewal through adaptive reuse.
Hilco was unwavering in its plans to demolish the Crawford Power Plant and develop a use that will significantly increase truck traffic throughout the neighborhood – further polluting the air and roadways of Little Village.
While we mourn the loss of this historic plant designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White and built in 1926, we need to mobilize quickly to stop Hilco from doing the same destruction at the Fisk Power Plant in Pilsen. It was designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, the successor firm to H.H. Richardson and the architects of the Chicago Cultural Center. It was built in 1903 by Commonwealth Edison and industrialist Samuel Insull, president of the corporation.
The Fisk Station, among many firsts, was also the home of the world’s largest transformer at the time, built by Westinghouse and installed in 1958, weighing 375,000 pounds. Fisk was also responsible for many years providing direct current-DC to the Chicago Transit Authority substations and rapid transit service.
Later additions to the Fisk Power House complex were designed by Daniel H. Burnham & Company and Shaw, Naess and Murphy. Several structures are “orange-rated” in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey. Fisk is situated on the South Branch of the Chicago River.
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THREATENED: After a site visit, Alderman stands by her comments about South Shore Nature Sanctuary
“All dead...it’s been dead for some years.”
(Chicago 7 2017, 2018 & 2019)
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South Shore Nature Sanctuary. Photo Credit: Susannah Ribstein
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South Shore Nature Sanctuary. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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South Shore Nature Sanctuary. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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South Shore Nature Sanctuary. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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South Shore Nature Sanctuary. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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South Shore Nature Sanctuary. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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South Shore Nature Sanctuary. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) proclaimed in the Sun-Times that the cherished South Shore Nature Sanctuary is “actually all dead...it’s been dead for some years.” (Sun-Times, 8/9/19)
“Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) has drawn outrage from locals after falsely claiming the South Shore Nature Sanctuary is “dead” and has not been maintained.
"Hairston told the Sun-Times that she’d like to take Mayor Lori Lightfoot on a tour of the sanctuary “because it’s actually all dead, and it’s been dead for some years.” She was trying to convince the mayor that plans to merge the Jackson Park and South Shore golf courses wouldn’t be disrupting parkland in the area.
"All one has to do to prove otherwise is take a visit to the sanctuary, said Brenda Nelms, co-president of Jackson Park Watch. “It is a lovely respite, used by local residents as a place of community, solace and recreation,” Nelms said in a statement. “We hope that Mayor Lightfoot will tour Jackson Park and South Shore, with Alderman Hairston or on her own, with an eye to seeing what would be lost.” (Evans, 8/15/19)"
"Whenever she gets the chance, Anne Holcomb takes the homeless youth she assists in her role at a Chicago nonprofit to the South Shore Nature Sanctuary, a 6-acre lakefront site with paths that bring visitors up close with a variety of trees, plants and flowers.
"Toward the end of the visit, Holcomb brought the group to a circular seating area and asked the youth to close their eyes and sit in silence for five minutes. Afterward, a teen in the group described how he was able to hear birds chirping and water splashing, something he had never experienced in such a tranquil way.
“It was just so incredibly peaceful,” Holcomb said, “and everybody enjoyed it so much. They didn’t want to leave.”
"The sanctuary, which sits adjacent to the South Shore Cultural Center, is at the center of the debate over the $30 million project led by pro golfer Tiger Woods to upgrade and merge the Jackson Park and South Shore golf courses.
"Earlier last month, Ald. Leslie Hairston, whose 5th Ward includes the sanctuary, was ridiculed after saying that the sanctuary has been “dead for some years” because of a lack of maintenance.
"On Thursday, Hairston said she stands by her comments. “I do,” she told WTTW News." (Ruppenthal, 9/19/19
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LOSS: Historic Wachowski-Ray House in Jefferson Park Demolished
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Wachowski-Ray House, 5374 W. Lawrence Avenue, by J.F. Knudsen circa 1914. Demolished September 27, 2019. Photo Credit: Nadig Newspapers
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"A 105-year-old home in Jefferson Park where the first Mass for Saint Constance Parish was held [has been] demolished, although the Northwest Chicago Historical Society [was] hoping that the structure [could] be preserved due to its historical and architectural significance.
"An application to demolish the Wachowski-Ray House at 5374 W. Lawrence Ave. [was] pending with the city Department of Buildings. Its architect, J.F. Knudsen, designed a wide variety of homes and small commercial buildings in the city, according to the historical society.
"The house [was] not listed on the Chicago Historic Resources Survey, but earlier this year city planning officials identified the home as a candidate for a potential residential landmark district, which would include several prominent Jefferson Park homes, historical society researcher Frank Suerth said.
"According to county records, the property was sold on Aug. 7 to PFH Homes Inc., which could not be reached for comment. The property’s B3-2 zoning would allow for a mixed-use building with up to nine residential units to be built on the 9,500-square-foot parcel, but there are reports that a zoning relief may be sought for the site’s redevelopment." (Nadig, 9/5/19)
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THREATENED:
4403 S. Oakenwald Needs a Savior
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4403 S. Oakenwald in 2019 Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer
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4403 S. Oakenwald from circa 1880 is located in the North Kenwood Historic District. The building's condition is approaching unsalvageable. So we are promoting this building in hopes of finding a buyer to step forward and prevent an emergency demolition. This building would qualify for permit fee waivers and a property tax assessment freeze. (Thanks to dristeen @53viroqua for alerting us via Twitter)
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THREATENED: 90-Day Demolition Delay List Highlights
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The Demolition-Delay Ordinance, adopted by City Council in 2003, establishes a hold of up to 90 days in the issuance of any demolition permit for certain historic buildings in order that the Department of Planning and Development can explore options, as appropriate, to preserve the building, including but not limited to Landmark Designation.
The ordinance applies to buildings rated “red” and “orange” in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey (CHRS). These buildings are designated on the city's zoning map. The delay period starts at the time the permit application is presented to the department's Historic Preservation Division offices and can be extended beyond the original 90 days by mutual agreement with the applicant. The purpose of the ordinance is to ensure that no important historic resource can be demolished without consideration as to whether it should and can be preserved.
Additional Reading
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Address:
3714 N. Southport Ave.
#100836477
Date Received: 05/23/2019
Ward: 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney
Applicant: Viewpoint Services, DBA Brophy Evacuation
Owner: Southport 2018 LLC
Permit Description: Wreck and removal of a 2-story, multi-unit, residential and commercial masonry building
Status: Under Review
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Address:
16 W. Maple St.
#100817848
Date Received: 05/23/2019
Ward: 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins
Applicant: Taylor Excavating & Construction, Inc.
Owner: Twelve West Maple, LLC
Permit Description: Demolition and removal of an existing four-story, multi- , mixed-use masonry building.
Status:
Released 8/20/19
Update: Preservation Chicago has been working with urgency to save this building from demolition. We have been in regular contact with 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins, the Alderman's office, and the developer David Pisor. The architect, Larry Booth, has been unresponsive.
At this point with the demolition delay expired and the demolition permit issued, we are advocating for the retention of the 3-story facade which could be incorporated into the base of the new construction tower. It would serve as a highly beautiful entrance and maintain a pedestrian-oriented scale at street-level. The developer expressed interest in this concept and we continue to pursue this alternative might prevent a total loss.
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LOSS: “Spotlight on Demolition”
310 N. Michigan Avenue, Loop,
Fabbri Sausage Company,1100 W. Randolph St., West Loop
Anshe Russia/Poile Zedeck, 1333 S. Harding St., North Lawndale
4431 N. Hamilton Avenue, Ravenswood
2020 W. Armitage Avenue, Bucktown
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“It’s an old, common cry in a city where demolition and development are often spoken in the same breath, and where trying to save historic homes from the wrecking ball can feel as futile as trying to stop the snow. My Twitter feed teems with beautiful houses doomed to vanish in the time it takes to say ‘bulldozed.’ Bungalows, two-flats, three-flats, greystones, workers’ cottages. The photos, posted by people who lament the death of Chicago’s tangible past, flit through my social media feed like a parade of the condemned en route to the guillotine,”
mused Mary Schmich in her Chicago Tribune column on July 12, 2018
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310 N. Michigan Avenue, Loop, Demolished September 2019. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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Fabbri Sausage Company, 1100 W. Randolph Street, Demolished September 2019. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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Anshe Russia/Poile Zedeck, 1333 S. Harding Street, North Lawndale, Demolished September 2019. Photo Credit: Debbie Mercer
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4431 N. Hamilton Avenue, Ravenswood, Demolished September 2019. Photo Credit: Hot Pads
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2020 W. Armitage Avenue, Bucktown, Demolished September 2019. Photo Credit: Google Maps
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RADIO: What's That Building? Inside The Former Armour Institute Of Technology
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AUDIO: What's That Building? Inside The Former Armour Institute Of Technology, Morning Shift, WBEZ Chicago 91.5. Photo Credit: Paula Friedrich/WBEZ Chicago 91.5
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"Amid the many modernist steel-and-glass buildings on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology stands a red brick Victorian that occupies nearly an entire block.
"It caught the eye of a "What's That Building?" fan, who asked about the history of the "huge red brick building — maybe part of IIT."
"It was built in 1893 to house one of IIT's predecessors: the Armour Institute of Technology. IIT was created in 1940 when the Armour Institute merged with the Lewis Institute, a West Side school. Students attended classes in the Armour building until it closed in the early 2000s. IIT sold it in 2017 and now a development group plans to gut the inside and turn the Chicago landmark into an apartment building.
"That work hasn’t started, so the spot is vacant for now. But a look inside reveals a building still filled with hints of its history."
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RADIO: Why Chicago’s Depression-Era School Murals Sparked Debates About Art And Politics For 80 Years
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AUDIO: Why Chicago’s Depression-Era School Murals Sparked Debates About Art And Politics For 80 Years, Curious City, WBEZ Chicago 91.5. Photo Credit: Katherine Nagasawa/WBEZ Chicago 91.5
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"Earlier this year, Lake View resident Pamela Monaco read about a debate dividing the Chicago suburb of Oak Park. Three schools there were in the process of removing government-funded,Depression-era murals after some students at those schools raised concerns that the art didn’t reflect the diversity of their student body.
"As a supporter of preserving historic art, this concerned Pamela. So she turned to Curious City with a question:
"How many government-funded, Depression-era murals are left in the Chicago area, and how many have been destroyed or removed over the years?
"According to the book Art for the People by Heather Becker, nearly 500 murals were created in Chicago during the Great Depression as part of federal jobs creation programs, chief among them the Works Progress Administration, or WPA.
"However, according to Art for the People, almost half of those murals — or at least 220 — are no longer on display. Many have been destroyed, lost, painted over, or sold, while others — as is the case in Oak Park — have been deliberately removed due to pushback from local residents.
"Some of these objections happened soon after the paint dried, while others occurred years later, as views of sensitive subjects like race and ethnicity have evolved. Below are the stories behind just a few area murals that have sparked controversy over the years. Taken together, they illustrate shifting definitions of the value and purpose of public art."
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Bravo to Ward Miller for his outstanding and well received September lectures including:
- Chicago Build 2019: "Preservation and Adaptive Reuse in Chicago"
- 21st Annual Arts and Crafts Conference: "The Arts & Crafts Movement: Chicago & Environs"
- Second Urbanism Conference in Islamabad, Pakistan: “Revisiting The Plan of Chicago and its Impact”
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Successful Community Survey Event Documents and Honors Roseland’s Historic Character
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At one time, Roseland was called the Jewel of the South Side.
Volunteers turned out at the end of August to survey properties along the Michigan Avenue commercial corridor in Roseland to document the buildings that remain standing and which have historic character.
The survey event was sponsored by the Greater Roseland Chamber of Commerce, with support from Seaway, a credit union located at 11116 S. Michigan Avenue. Preservation Chicago provided access to the surveying program and training on how to conduct the survey. Data from the survey will be used to assess what is remaining of Roseland’s historic fabric and to make a case for its restoration and revitalization.
The Ware Ranch Steak House hosted the meet-up on Saturday, August 24. Volunteers spent the morning surveying properties along Michigan Avenue between 103
rd and 116
th Streets. When they returned to the Steak House, the energy and excitement was palpable. People shared pictures and stories of the buildings they came across, they shared memories of what it was like growing up in Roseland, and they began to imagine that it could be made better in the future.
It was a day mixed with skepticism but ultimately hope. Community members who showed up have seen Roseland face deterioration along Michigan Avenue for decades – with illicit activities, drug dealers and business owners concerned only with making money with little to no regard for the people who shop and live there. Despite the struggles that have brought the community down, volunteers were hopeful that something could be done to turn it around.
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Preservation Chicago Hosts
Chicago Architecture Biennial 2019 Events:
- Chicago 7 Bus Tour, Sat., October 5 (sold out)
- Benefits for All: Historic Preservation and Affordable Housing, Tuesday October 29 (sold out, but waiting list is active)
- Community, History, Place and Equity, Tuesday November 12
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…and other such stories, the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial. Logo Credit: Chicago Architecture Biennial
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Highly Successful, Sold Out Preservation Chicago's Chicago 7 Most Endangered Coach Tour - October 5
Tour hosted by Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago, and Jacob Kaplan of Forgotten Chicago
• Air conditioned coach
• Limited seats available
• Saturday, October 5
• 10 am to 3 pm
1. Jackson Park, Midway Plaisance and South Shore Cultural Center
2. Laramie State Bank in Austin
3. Loretto Academy/Institute of the Blessed Virgin in Woodlawn
4. Justice Hammer/Lu & Jorja Palmer Mansion in Bronzeville
5. Second Church of Christ, Scientist in Lincoln Park
6. James R. Thompson Center/State of Illinois Building in the Loop
7. Roman Catholic Churches throughout Chicago
Learn why these Chicago buildings and sites are endangered and why they would be a significant loss to the city and community if they are not protected or landmarked. Some of the stops this year will include:
Benefits for All: Historic Preservation and Affordable Housing - October 29 (Sold out , but waiting list is active)
Does historic preservation contribute to the reduction of affordable housing in communities? Does it promote affordable housing? Anecdotally, there are stories that support a “yes” answer to both questions. A more important question is: What can the historic preservation movement do to support the growth of affordable housing and ensure that existing affordable housing in an area is better retained? What tools do we have now to accomplish those goals, and what new tools do we need?
Preservation Chicago will moderate a panel discussion including:
- 25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez
- Department of Housing representative (not yet confirmed)
- Peter Holsten, Holsten Development
- Win Curran, Associate Professor at DePaul University who studies affordable housing and gentrification
- Alyssa Frystak, author of report “Small But Mighty: Combating the Affordable Housing Crisis Through Small-Scale Historic Rehabilitation”
Location: National Public Housing Museum, 625 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago
Date Options: Tuesday, October 29
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (5:30 to 7 p.m.)
Preservation Chicago protects and revitalizes Chicago’s irreplaceable architecture, neighborhoods and urban green spaces through direct advocacy, education and technical assistance.
Community, History, Place and Equity - November 12
In some of Chicago’s historically disinvested communities, the preservation of historic places and the history of community that surrounds them have not been equitable. Preservation Chicago initiated a Neighborhood Outreach Program in 2019 to contribute to the turning of the tide. Driven by community members and facilitated by Preservation Chicago, we work collaboratively to identify historic assets in targeted community areas and develop strategies to preserve the more vulnerable of those buildings.
As the preservation community advocates for the City of Chicago to commit resources for an updated Chicago Historic Resource Survey, Preservation Chicago has embarked with community residents on parcel surveys in targeted areas defined by the community. Current CHRS data will be imported into the web-based system, and new information can be exported and shared with the City of Chicago.
The program strategies are to:
- Raise awareness of preservation as a strategy to strengthen healthy communities
- Develop strategies to protect the most vulnerable historic assets
- Develop network of community-based preservation and community development advocates
- Advance policies to expand tools for preservation
- Increase capacity of neighborhood preservation partners
- Connect people to resources
Stories will be collected and shared to remind people of the glory of these places and their importance to connect people to their history. Work in the Bronzeville and Roseland neighborhoods is well underway. We have begun the same outreach South Chicago. While the program will expand to neighborhoods across Chicago, the program’s first two years will focus predominantly on neighborhoods with historic resources that are sometimes overlooked and at great risk of being lost. Greater focus needs to be invested in implementing and developing tools and resources to protect and honor all of Chicago’s historic assets. Historic preservation is an effective tool to contribute to healthier communities with stable housing, pride of place and buildings that tell the story of the community.
The format of this event will be a panel presentation and discussion, including:
- Mary Lu Seidel, Director of Community Engagement for Preservation Chicago
- Bernard Loyd, Preservation Bronzeville representative
- Andrea Reed, Preservation Roseland representative
- A third community representative
- An alderman or city representative
Ms. Seidel will give a brief program overview. Each of the community representatives will share the story of their work done to date. Then we will open up questions from the moderator (Ms. Seidel) and the audience.
Location: National Public Housing Museum
Date: November 12, 2019
Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Preservation Chicago protects and revitalizes Chicago’s irreplaceable architecture, neighborhoods and urban green spaces through direct advocacy, education and technical assistance.
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Jazz Age Party at Glessner House
Thursday, October 10, 2019
6 to 9 PM
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It’s October 1919 and Prohibition has just been signed into law - come drink and party before it’s enforced. Enjoy music, dancing, entertainment, open bar and food. Then party like it’s 1919.
You’re invited to a Jazz Age party with an open bar and appetizers - a specialty cocktail will be stirred up!
October marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of Prohibition. So, get your flapper on and celebrate with Glessner House for this Jazz Age Party with actors from Stockyards Theatre Project. Meet some characters of the time with different views on the ills of drinking.
Vintage dapper dress encouraged!
$50 per person. This is a fundraiser for Glessner House so membership discount does not apply.
Jazz Age Party
Thursday, October 10, 2019
6:00 PM 9:00 PM
Glessner House
1800 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL
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Volunteer for Open House Chicago. Photo Credit: Michael Courier/ Open House Chicago
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WHAT DO OHC VOLUNTEERS DO?
Volunteer Greeters are assigned to all OHC sites to welcome and count guests, answer questions and assist with crowd control and line management. Greeters typically work one four-hour shift, which leaves plenty of time to explore the city the remainder of the weekend.
Leadership Volunteers help us keep OHC running smoothly by working a full-day shift, overseeing either a cluster of nearby sites, or one particularly busy downtown site.
WHY SHOULD I VOLUNTEER FOR OHC?
In addition to meeting visitors from all over the world who share your enthusiasm for the city and its architecture, OHC volunteers receive:
A Priority Access pass and admission to Members Only sites for two
Discounted CAC membership
Discount coupon to use at the CAC Store
OHC t-shirt souvenir
Two free CAC walking tour passes
Additional benefits for Leadership Volunteers
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
If you are interested in volunteering for OHC 2019, please fill out this form. In mid-August, when volunteer registration for OHC 2019 officially opens, you will receive an email with additional information about the shift selection process and t-shirt pickup options.
The list of participating sites will be released after Labor Day, and shortly after that, registered volunteers will be able to select your volunteer shifts.
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Open House Chicago 2019
Saturday and Sunday October 19 and 20
Free behind-the-scenes access to more than 350 buildings across Chicago
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Open House Chicago 2019, Saturday and Sunday October 19 and 20, Free behind-the-scenes access to more than 350 buildings across Chicago. Image Credit: Open House Chicago 2019
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START PLANNING YOUR OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO ITINERARY TODAY!
OHC WILL TAKE PLACE OCTOBER 19-20, 2019.
The Chicago Architecture Center's Open House Chicago is a free public festival that offers behind-the-scenes access to more than 350 buildings across Chicago.
Explore the hidden gems and architectural treasures of Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods—all for free.
Have you ever walked by a building and thought, "I wish I could see what's inside?" Now you can. Tour soaring skyscrapers, repurposed mansions, opulent theaters, exclusive private clubs, private offices and breathtaking sacred spaces.
The Chicago Architecture Center’s Open House Chicago (OHC) is the city’s annual architecture festival. For one weekend in October you can explore Chicago’s most iconic and unique architectural treasures. From mansions to sacred spaces, theaters to private clubs, hotels to secret rooms—OHC gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at many of the city’s great spaces that are rarely, if ever, open to the public.
Here’s your chance to venture into new neighborhoods, learn the stories of Chicago’s buildings and experience the rich and diverse cultures of our community.
OHC is completely free-of-charge—no registration or tickets are needed. So gather your friends, plan your itinerary and mark your calendar for October 19-20, 2019!
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46th Annual Historic Pullman House Tour
October 12 & 13, 2019
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Pullman Rowhouses. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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46th Annual Historic Pullman House Tour
October 12 & 13, 2019
11:00am - 5:00pm
Co-sponsored by the: Pullman Civic Organization and the Historic Pullman Foundation
One weekend each year, Pullman residents open their homes to the public for the annual Historic Pullman House Tour. These 120-year-old Landmark homes range from executive mansions to 14-foot wide worker's cottages to multi-unit apartments, all with a charm and uniqueness that is part of the Pullman experience.
Tour homes are chosen to present a cross-section of the different types of housing in Pullman and the many ways that homeowners blend the past and present in their historic homes.
Come visit Pullman and see behind the beautiful facades into the interiors of these landmark homes.
House Tour Weekend also will include tours of the Pullman National Monument, music at our bandstand, food, an antique car show, garage sales and so much more!
Proceeds from the Historic Pullman House Tour will help fund restoration and preservation projects in the Historic Pullman District.
Tour Information: 773.785.8901
Historic Pullman Visitor Center
11141 S. Cottage Grove Avenue
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Schweikher House Tour on Docomomo Tour Day Oct 12th from 10 to 2
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The Schweikher House Tour
October 12, 2019
10:00am - 2:00pm
Co-sponsored by the: The Schweikher House Preservation Trust and DOCOMOMO
Upon its completion in 1938, the Schweikher House was a simple and modest assemblage of 2,400 square feet. In essence it is a three-room open plan structure with beautiful spaces for living, sleeping and working. Located on a farm field on the rural edge of Chicago’s urban energy, the house staked its own distinctive position in the world of Prairie School evolution, international modernism, and Wright’s yet-to-be-defined/built Usonian invention.
Tours of the house will feature Schweikher’s masterful integration of brick, glass and wood, including an iconic brick fireplace, passive solar room, cantilevered construction, exposed wood beams, built-in furniture, and gardens designed by the noted Midwestern landscape architect Franz Lipp. The Schweikher House Preservation Trust invites you to join a tour of this beautiful structure, both inside and out.
When: Saturday October 12, 2019. Pre-scheduled, 50-minute guided tours will run from 10 AM to 2 PM, starting on the hour.
Where: 645 S. Meacham Road, Schaumburg, IL 60193
Cost: The cost of the tours will be $20/per person, paid in advance of the event, with a maximum of 12 persons per tour.
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Geometry of Light by Luftwerk & Iker Gil
at National Trust Historic Site Farnsworth House
October 11, 12 & 13, 2019
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Geometry of Light by Luftwerk & Iker Gil. Image Credit: Farnsworth House
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As part of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial, National Trust Historic Site Farnsworth House is participating with an installation you simply can’t see anywhere else: Geometry of Light, a light-based art intervention by Luftwerk in collaboration with Iker Gil.
During this site-specific installation taking place October 11-13, 2019, light and patterns will be projected both inside and on the grounds surrounding the Farnsworth House. Presented in concert with a sound-piece developed by Oriol Tarragóin in direct response to the site, this intervention will reveal underlying geometries that relate the house to its river floodplain site, topography, and natural landscape.
Luftwerk is the artistic collaboration of Petra Bachmaier and Sean Gallero, and we sat down with them to learn more about Geometry of Light and its relationship to the Farnsworth House.
Photography will be allowed on the site during the exhibition for personal use only; please note that all policies are in effect from our Photography page, including the required waiver signatures and equipment restrictions.
VIP Opening: Friday, October 11th | 7:00 PM | $75 | Beverages from Virtue Cider and Revolution Brewing, hors d’oeuvres, & shuttle service to/from Aurora Metra station included in ticket price
General Admission: Saturday & Sunday, October 12-13th | 7:00 PM | $35 | Shuttle service to/from Aurora Metra station available for additional fee. Groups of 15 or more please email us at farnsworth@farnsworthhouse.org for group rate information.
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James R. Thompson Center Historical Society Lunch Hour Tours
October 17, 24 and 31, 2019
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James R. Thompson Center / State of Illinois Building. Photo Credit: Serhii Chrucky
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The James R. Thompson Center (JRTC) is a public, postmodern office building commissioned, owned, and occupied by the State of Illinois for government offices and mixed-use retail. Designed by architect Helmut Jahn in Chicago and put into service in 1985, the 17-story building is widely viewed as a threatened cultural asset as state legislators continue to push for the sale of the valuable central Loop property.
The mission of the James R. Thompson Center Historical Society (JRTCHS) includes Generating new affinities for the JRTC among Chicagoans and others by leading tours and producing programming and activities that invites the public to learn about the building and share stories about their experiences.
Thursday, October 17, 12:00 p.m. — Join the JRTCHS for its inaugural tour. The tour will explore the building’s public spaces on the first, second, third floors, as well as atrium level to learn about the cultural context of the State of Illinois Center.
Thursday, October 24, 12:00 p.m. (partnering with Docomomo) — Explore the political, cultural and occupational history of the former State of Illinois Building and the role of the postmodernist architectural movement in Chicago and beyond.
Thursday, October 31, 12:00 p.m. — Bring your favorite ’80s outfit or costume and enjoy a walk through the Thompson Center’s lower level atrium space where visitors will learn about the forgotten history and present peril the building faces.
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Monadnock Building Tours With Chicago Detours
Free 30 Minute Walking Tours
Fridays in Novembers at Noon
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Monadnock Building. Photo Credit: Eric Allix Rogers
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This free Chicago walking tour of the Monadnock Building showcases its monumental architecture, gorgeous interiors and fascinating history. The groundbreaking restoration of this 19th-century skyscraper demonstrates the value of preserving historic architecture.
Gratuities for this brief and mostly indoor tour, which is available for a limited time, will benefit Preservation Chicago!
FREE CHICAGO WALKING TOUR DETAILS
On this free Chicago walking tour, you’ll discover the elegant architecture of the Monadnock Building, one of the oldest skyscrapers of downtown Chicago. During your 30-minute-long architectural walking tour, your professional tour guide will share the larger-than-life story and structure of this classic 1890s skyscraper. You’ll enter the building to experience the Monadnock’s inspiring interiors. The tour will be inside 75% of the time, meaning you’ll be comfortable on this tour even in inclement weather. Please note that because we are walking and standing on the tour we have to call this a “walking tour” but we are not walking much distance at all.
The tour group starts in a cafe at noon, and then steps outside to consider the monumental architecture of the Monadnock’s exterior. Once inside the Monadnock, it’s like stepping back to 19th-century Chicago. Tour guests see architectural details like intricate brass doorknobs, glamorous aluminum stairs and old-fashioned mailboxes. You’ll also see old-time businesses like a haberdashery and florist.
Unique to this tour, as compared to other architectural building tours, is that Chicago Detours will share the big ideas of design behind historic preservation. In the 1980s, the building’s owner undertook a painstaking restoration under the direction of award-wining preservation architect John Vinci. Thanks to their foresight, business acumen and creativity, the Monadnock has the authentic feeling of a 19th-century commercial building while being comfortable and functional for the building’s current tenants. To design this free walking tour, Executive Director Amanda Scotese consulted with two experts on the Monadnock’s transformation: official city historian Tim Samuelson and Preservation Chicago Executive Director Ward Miller.
The Monadnock Building demonstrates how crucial it is to preserve Chicago’s incredible architecture. Chicago Detours is committed to supporting efforts to save our city’s historic architecture. Thus our tour guides are donating 100% of all gratuities received on this free walking tour to Preservation Chicago. This non-profit organization “protects and revitalizes Chicago’s irreplaceable architecture, neighborhoods and urban spaces.”
This tour is free and offered weekly on Fridays from November 2nd until December 8th. Reservations are required!
Please book now.
Walking tour begins inside Dollop Coffee in the Fisher Building, 343 S Dearborn (use the entrance on Van Buren) - NOTE that the tour begins across the street from the Monadnock.
WHY ARE WE OFFERING THIS WALKING TOUR FOR FREE?
As a top-rated tour company, with professional (not volunteer) tour guides, why are we offering this Chicago walking tour by foot for free?
- To give back to the community! Tour guides will donate all gratuities to Preservation Chicago.
- To welcome new walking tour guests! Come experience our style of walking tour.
- To thank our previous tour guests and see them again!
- Lastly, the Monadnock Building is our office home. We love sharing our appreciation for the Monadnock Building’s incredible architecture on this free walking tour.
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Chicago Vocational School, 2100 E. 87th Street, Architect John Christensen, 1941. Photo Credit: Lee Bey
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Chicago Vocational School, 2100 E. 87th Street, Architect John Christensen, 1941. Photo Credit: Lee Bey
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A Chicago Landmark designation for the Chicago Vocational School will significantly help the Avalon Park neighborhood:
- Create tourism revenue and increase their property value to allocate for development and community upgrades.
- Validate the rich history that our district and school had while educating the nation of their unique role in World War II and contribution to American Architecture.
- Support the potential eligibility for grants, tax credits, and other opportunities to maintain its historic character and contribute to beautifying the neighborhood.
Construction began on the Art Moderne Chicago Vocational School in 1939, and it was opened in 1941. Costs for construction were funded by the Works Progress Administration. During World War II the vocational school served the war effort and it trained many United States Navy mechanics.
"Chicago Vocational's original concept was revolutionary. The school system figured out the world of the 1940s and beyond would need more machinists, auto mechanics, electricians, architectural draftsmen, food service experts, sheet metal workers, complex printing machine operators–and more–so they built a school to fill the need. The school was built for 6,000 students, all male, originally, who would graduate with certificates proving they were work-ready." (WBEZ, Bey)
"The interior ornament incorporated Art Deco influences, while the exterior was fashioned in the Art Moderne style. The mostly unadorned stone façade incorporated a series of bas relief sculpted panels depicting individual trades taught at the school. Chicago Vocational School would lead an era of modernism in the Chicago Public Schools." (Context Statement, Bauer Latoza Studio)
Additional Reading
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Petition: Halt the Demolition of One of Bronzeville's Historic Substations
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ComEd Substation, Herman von Volst, 626 E. 40th Street, 1931. Photo Credit: Google Street View
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Built in 1931, the ComEd substation at 626 E. 40th Street once provided power for the now-defunct Kenwood L line. Designated as possessing potential significance in the context of the surrounding community during the Chicago Historic Resources Survey, the substation’s demolition permit reached
the end of its 90-day hold on January 31, 2019. ComEd has not yet confirmed its intentions for this site.
Without intervention, Bronzeville could lose another beautiful monument to its rich history. Preservation Chicago is actively engaging in conversations with ComEd, the community and decisionmakers to save this historic building and return it to a vibrant use.
We urge ComEd to halt the demolition of its Herman von Volst-designed substation at 626 E. 40th Street in Chicago and work with the community and neighborhood leaders to find a preservation-sensitive use for the historic building.
Additional Reading
Crain’s Chicago Business published an op-ed in where an elevated linear trail similar to the 606 is proposed for the South Side on abandoned railway embankments. It suggest that this ComEd substation as an access point and park space.
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LOST CHICAGO...BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
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Diana Court at Michigan Square Building
by Holabird & Root
Built in 1930. Demolished in 1973
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Diana Court at Michigan Square Building, 540 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, by Holabird & Root. Built in 1930. Demolished in 1973. Historic Photo Credit: Fred G. Korth, Holabird & Root Archive, Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives: Archival Image Collection
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Diana Court at Michigan Square Building, 540 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, by Holabird & Root. Built in 1930. Demolished in 1973. Historic Photo Credit: Chicago Art Deco Society
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Diana Court at Michigan Square Building, 540 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, by Holabird & Root. Built in 1930. Demolished in 1973. Historic Photo Credit: Holabird & Root Archive, Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives: Archival Image Collection
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Diana Court at Michigan Square Building, 540 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, by Holabird & Root. Built in 1930. Demolished in 1973. Historic Photo Credit: Holabird & Root Archive, Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives: Archival Image Collection
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Diana Court at Michigan Square Building, 540 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, by Holabird & Root. Built in 1930. Demolished in 1973. Historic Photo Credit: Holabird & Root Archive, Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives: Archival Image Collection
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Diana Court at Michigan Square Building, 540 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, by Holabird & Root. Built in 1930. Demolished in 1973. Historic Photo Credit: Holabird & Root Archive, Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives: Archival Image Collection
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Socatch Bakery Interior at Michigan Square Building, 544 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, by Holabird & Root. Built in 1930. Demolished in 1973. Historic Photo Credit: Architecture Lantern Slide Collection, Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Archives: Archival Image Collection
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Diana Court at Michigan Square Building
Architect: Holabird & Root
Location: 540 N. Michigan Avenue between Grand Avenue and Ohio Street
Built: 1930
Demolished: 1973
"The architects of another of Chicago's exciting enclosed public spaces found their inspiration far from Imperial Rome. For the Diana Court in their Michigan Square Building of 1930, Holabird and Root looked to the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs held in Paris in 1925, from which came the term of Art Deco. But their inspiration was even more specific, relating to the ocean liner design of the late 1920s and early 1930s, when the new
Ile de France and
Normandie made other ships seem old-fashioned and influenced land-based structures as well. There is about this room the sense of a grand Salon on a transatlantic liner. The marble and bronze fountain that gave the court its name was by the Swedish sculptor Carl Milles. The Michigan Square Building and the subtle room over which the ancient huntress presided sailed into a cloud of wrecker's dust in 1973." (Lost Chicago, David Lowe, page 215)
Surviving art from the Diana Court can be viewed at the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Give a Damn. Give a Dime (or Two).
Please Support
Preservation Chicago
!
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Demolition of Crawford Power Station, by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, built 1926. Demolished May 2019. Photo Credit: Mary Lu Seidel / Preservation Chicago
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- Be Heard! Attend community meetings and make your voice heard!
THANK YOU from your friends at Preservation Chicago!
For larger donors wishing to support Preservation Chicago, please contact Ward Miller regarding the Preservation Circle details and a schedule of events. wmiller@preservationchicago.org or 773-334-8800.
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