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CALL FOR 2017 NOMINATIONS for
Preservation Chicago 7 Most Endangered Buildings
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| La France Laundry, 2149 E 75th St., Photo Credit by Eric Rogers |
Preservation Chicago is a small organization with a big mission. Please take a minute and let us know about any historic buildings in your neighborhood that you are concerned about.
Here is the link to contact us.
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"Someone should save that building!"
Preservation Chicago is that "someone" working hard every day to save historic buildings throughout Chicago.
The challenges are constant and...
Preservation Chicago is making a difference.
So whether its $5 or $50 or $500,
for a small and scrappy non-profit,
EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS!
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| Marshall Field's Clock, Photo Credit by Ward Miller, Preservation Chicago |
THANK YOU from the Board and Staff at Preservation Chicago!
Preservation Chicago is a 501c3 non-profit so your donation is tax-deductible. Donations or membership renewals can be sent to Preservation Chicago, 4410 N. Ravenswood Ave, Chicago IL, 60640.
You can also fill out our online form here.
Donors of $1,500 and above are invited to join our Preservation Circle level membership. There are exclusive events available for members at this level including tours of noted buildings and private residences not open to the public. For additional information on the Preservation Circle and Corporate Sponsorship of Preservation Chicago, please contact Ward Miller at 773-398-6432 or at
[email protected]
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Strong Preservation Advocacy Effort Pushes Serbian American Club to Withdraw Demo Permit Application
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| Serbian American Museum (D.O. Hill House) 448 W. Barry Ave, Photo Credit by Ward Miller |
UPDATE: Preservation Chicago is pleased to report that The Serbian American Club withdrew its demolition permit application immediately prior to the Commission of Chicago Landmarks hearing on December 1. Prior to the hearing, Preservation Chicago, the Serbian-American community, and Lake View residents had campaigned to stop the sale and demolition of the Serbian American Museum & Club/St Sava. As part of this effort, Preservation Chicago had been in touch with Alderman Tunney and his staff and had written letters of support to DPD Landmarks staff in support of landmark designation.
The Serbian American Club's status remains threatened as the owners could reapply for a demolition permit. The only way to ensure long-term protection for the orange-rated Serbian American Club building is a historic landmark designation. Preservation Chicago fully supports a historic landmark designation. This architecturally outstanding building has served an important cultural resource for the Chicago Serbian community for over 60 years.
Preservation Chicago urges the Landmarks Commission, 44th Ward Alderman Tunney, Serbian and Lake View neighborhood organizations and Lake View neighbors to continue to advocate for protection for this important historic landmark.
The Serbian American Museum & Club/St Sava has operated since 1952 from the historic 11,400 square foot mansion in Lake View East. This extraordinary Prairie Style home, originally the D.O. Hill House at 448 W. Barry Ave was designed in 1902 by Frederick W. Perkins, better known for his work for Chicago's elite including the Armour family and the John G. Shedd family. Its graceful proportions, broad porch, intricate classical ornament, unique and highly-ornamented arched third floor dormer and fine detailing with Roman brick make it a natural candidate for consideration as a Designated Chicago Landmark.
Even among the many wonderful historic homes in Lake View, the Hill House is so important that it was individually recognized for its architectural significance on a short list of 14 homes from the hundreds of homes within the 1972 Lakeview Historic District National Register Nomination.
Please take a moment to voice your support and
sign the online petition to stop the sale and demolition of the Serbian American Museum & Club St Sava. The online petition has over 850 signatures. (Please note that no donation is required to sign the petition)
Despite statements to the media that the seller desired a preservation outcome, the property listing suggests otherwise.
Suggested Reading
Photo Gallery, 448 W Barry Ave CHICAGO, IL 60657 Curbed Chicago, AJ Trace, 7/21/16
Serbian museum lists Lakeview East mansion for $3.85 million, Chicago Tribune, 7/20/16
Lakeview Historic District National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, 1972
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Preservation Chicago Objects to Potential Loss of Essex Inn Historic Rooftop Signage
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| Essex Inn, 800 S. Michigan Avenue, Photo Credit by A. Epstein and Sons |
UPDATE: The 1961 mid-century modern, steel and glass, Essex Inn at 800 South Michigan Avenue designed by A. Epstein and Sons is close to final landmark designation approval and addition to the National Register Historic Places.
Preservation Chicago voiced its support for the project, but also objected to the potential loss of the historic Essex Inn signage at the December 1st Commission of Chicago Landmarks hearing.
Preservation Chicago strongly encouraged the developer and Commission of Chicago Landmarks to retain and restore the historic Essex Inn rooftop signage. Our testimony addressed the importance of this sign and others like it, including the iconic Drake Hotel and Santa Fe Signs. It was assumed that the landmark designation covered the Santa Fe sign until it was removed. Our organization opposed the removal of the historic Santa Fe rooftop sign from the Railroad Exchange Building, which has been relocated to the permanent collection of the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL.
Preservation Chicago has strongly advocated for the landmarking and full restoration of the Essex Inn since late 2014, when the building was sold to Oxford Capital Group. We have testified on behalf of the building at many public meetings and have been in communication with community members, public officials and the design team to advocate for preservation-sensitive renovation.
The landmarking of a mid-century building would represent an important addition to the Historic Michigan Boulevard District which initially protected buildings from 1880 to 1930, leaving the fate uncertain for the mid-century Borg-Warner Building, Johnson Publishing Building, and the Essex Inn.
Suggested Reading
Developers Reintroduce Essex Inn Redevelopment and Tower Addition, Curbed Chicago, 3/1/16
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Demo Threat for Historic Gold Coast East Superior Block of 1870's Italianate Row Houses
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| 42, 44 and 46 E. Superior, Photo Credit by Ward Miller |
Preservation Chicago recently learned that a block of East Superior Street in the Gold Coast's historic McCormickville District with a cluster of 1870's and 1880's Italianate and Victorian Row Houses is threatened with demolition. Preservation Chicago discovered this new threat, broke the story to the media, and began to deploy its rapid response advocacy to prevent the demolition.
A Chinese investor based in New York reportedly assembled much and possibly the entire block with the intention of clearing all the historic buildings and building a high-rise building. Some business owners have been warned of a possible redevelopment and are preparing for a 60 day notice to vacate. These orange-rated buildings would trigger the 90 Day Demolition Delay Ordinance.
Preservation Chicago strongly opposes the demolition of the orange rated row-houses at 42, 44 and 46 E Superior dating from the 1870's and 1880's. The status of the adjacent seven-story art deco limestone building and the historic four-story red brick Giordano's building relative to the development plan is unknown at this time.
"To ensure the protection of these buildings, Ward Miller, Executive Director of Preservation Chicago, is hoping that area residents will help push for the creation of a new landmark district. "This is McCormickville. This is where the McCormick family lived before and after the Great Chicago Fire." And with the continued demolition of other shorter, older buildings in the area, Miller says that there are only a handful of the original McCormickville buildings left. "We need to value every inch of space where there are historic buildings that tell the story of the neighborhood."
Preservation Chicago has been very concerned of the increasing frequency and recent losses of other low-rise historic neighborhood buildings due to increased development pressure. Developers are increasing considering both surface parking lots and blocks of intact historic buildings as potential development sites.
Preservation Chicago applauds the Ukrainian Consulate General's Office for recognizing the significance of their historic Victorian building on Huron near State Street, and protecting their building against an adjacent high-rise development.
Preservation Chicago is also very concerned about the displacement and loss of small, locally-owned restaurants and retail businesses that employ Chicagoans and contribute to the vibrancy of our neighborhoods.
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Wicker Park Celebrates The Robey Boutique Hotel in Northwest Tower
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| Northwest Tower, Photo Credit by Ward Miller |
After three years of planning and development, The Robey Hotel opened on November 30th. Designed by Perkins, Chatten & Hammond and completed in 1927, the 12-story Northwest Tower has visually dominated the six corner intersection of Milwaukee, North and Damen ever since. The Robey is a reference to Damen Avenue's original name.
Developed by Convexity Properties and operated by Grupo Habita, the boutique hotel offers 69 unique guest rooms, a restaurant café, and a rooftop lounge with spectacular unobstructed views of the Chicago skyline. The adjacent historic, 27,000-square-foot, five-story industrial building Hollander Fireproof Warehouse was also renovated into a highly-innovative, next-generation hostel with rooftop swimming pool.
Great care was taken to embrace the historic interior and exterior elements, including the dark green marble and brass lobby, and the highly decorative rooftop spire.
This is another outstanding example of a historic office building's adaptive reuse into a boutique hotel in which the historic building provided outstanding opportunities for creativity, authenticity and uniqueness.
Preservation Chicago has long advocated for the preservation of the Northwest Tower and the Milwaukee Avenue Historic Landmark District.
At the invitation of the ownership, Preservation Chicago's Ward Miller, provided historic lectures regarding the building and neighborhood during the pre-opening events.
Suggested Reading
Take a tour through Wicker Park's new Robey Hotel, AJ LaTrace, Curbed Chicago, 11/2916 Great Photos!
As Wicker Park's New Hotels Near Opening Day, Here's What You Should Know, Alisa Hauser, DNAinfo, 11/16/16
Step inside - and back in time - at new Wicker Park hotel and upscale hostel, Josh Noel, Chicago Tribune, 11/29/16
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Demolition Feared for Historic Leland and Sheridan Building in Uptown
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| Leland and Sheridan Building, Photo Credit by Chicago Traffic Photographs, UIC Collection |
The Leland and Sheridan Building was built in 1914 and was designed by Perry and Thomas. The two-story red-brick building has wonderfully ornate terra cotta details on the facade and cornice. The terra cotta Chicago-style windows and clay-tile roof have been lost due to decades of disinvestment. The building has suffered through a recent foreclosure and partial restoration by the bank owner.
An Uptown non-profit, Sarah's Circle, has requested a zoning change in order to demolish the building and replace it with a seven-story building. Preservation Chicago is working with Uptown community members to find alternatives that would both protect the Leland and Sheridan Building and allow Sarah's Circle to expand its mission. Preservation Chicago has offered the suggestion that the east building of Cuneo Hospital be renovated, accomplish all the programmatic requirements of Sarah's Circle, eliminate the threat for the Leland and Sheridan Building, and provide an outstanding reuse option for Cuneo Hospital.
Preservation Chicago spoke on behalf of the Leland and Sheridan Building and suggested the Cuneo Hospital reuse option at Aderman Cappleman's well-attended community meeting on December 12th.
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Final Chapter in Effort to Save Historic Cuneo Hospital
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| Cuneo Hospital, Photo Credit by Eric Rogers |
Demolition has begun on Maryville Academy, the west buildings of the Cuneo Hospital complex. The historic east building, designed by Edo Belli of Belli & Belli Architects in 1957, is soon to follow. It has been reported that the east building of Cuneo Hospital will be replaced by a strip mall anchored by a fast food restaurant.
A 2012 Chicago 7 Most Endangered, Preservation Chicago, Friends of Cuneo Hospital, and Uptown neighborhood partners have campaigned to save this important mid-century building. Preservation Chicago has continued to push for a preservation-sensitive outcome, despite that demolition permits have been issued.
One silver lining is that funds from the Cuneo redevelopment plan have been allocated for the restoration of the historic Clarendon Park Field House, a 2015 Chicago 7, which had previously been threatened with demolition due to the high cost of restoration.
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Preservation Chicago is an activist organization that advocates for the preservation of historic architecture, neighborhoods and urban spaces throughout the city of Chicago.
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