"Preservation Award" bestowed on 22 property owners

Mayor Daley applauds private efforts to preserve Chicago's historic buildings

The mansions of magnates, the hotel of presidents, the turn-of-the-century homes of Chicagoans, and other community treasures have recently been restored with special attention to historic architectural features. These and other landmark buildings and their owners, 22 in all, were honored today with the Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence.

"It's an honor to recognize these outstanding citizens who are truly dedicated to historic preservation in our communities," said Mayor Richard M. Daley, who presented the awards in a ceremony held at Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, 610 S. Michigan Ave. "Their actions raise public awareness and help promote appreciation of Chicago's architectural and cultural heritage."

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks recognizes outstanding projects that involve notable improvements to designated Chicago Landmarks or properties within Chicago Landmark Districts.

In completing their restorations, some developers found financial support in available tax increment subsidies, Class L property tax incentives, and historic tax credits. This year also marked the emergence of green building and sustainable design efforts.

"Chicago has one of the greatest collections of modern architecture in the world and a rich cultural history to go with it," Daley said. "It is our responsibility to preserve the past for Chicagoans of the future."

This year's award-winning projects include:

• The renovation of the Nickerson House (1883), noted for having one of the city's finest historic interiors, including extensive exterior and interior restoration of marble, mosaics, and carved and inlaid wood, masonry repair, and laser cleaning.

• The rehabilitation of the Tiffany dome and skylight (1897), at the Chicago Public Library Cultural Center, and restoration of its 30,000 pieces of stained glass.

• The $112 million renovation of the Blackstone Hotel (1910), including brick and terra cotta repair, new windows and canopies, and restoration of its main lobby, ballroom and presidential suite.

• The complete renovation of 1530 Lake Shore Drive (1916), one of the remaining grand mansions of this prestigious late-19th century residential street, now home to the Polish Consulate.

• The rehabilitation of the Florham Shoe Company building (1926) and its adaptive reuse from industrial to residential, including a green roof.

• The construction of a replacement building for the Spertus Institute for Jewish Studies, designed to fit into a significant historic neighborhood and also targeting LEED Silver certification for meeting sustainable design and performance measures.

• The restoration of numerous historic structures and homes in Landmark Districts across the city, including Armitage-Halsted, Hawthorne, Kenwood, Pullman, and historic Michigan Boulevard.

"The Landmark Preservation Awards are presented to property owners, developers, businesses, and organizations for acknowledging and protecting the historic integrity of Chicago's buildings," said Chicago Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Arnold Randall. "Historic preservation is critical to community reinvestment and can be an economic engine for communities. These individuals have demonstrated their stewardship and civic pride."

The honorees received their recognition at the tenth annual Preservation Awards ceremony at the Spertus Institute. Chicago has 265 individual landmark buildings, monuments and sites, and 50 designated landmark districts, which total more than 8,500 structures of historical significance.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Chicago Landmarks Ordinance.

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks, whose nine members are appointed by the Mayor and City Council, works with homeowners, businesses, organizations and developers to preserve and maintain historic properties. One such group is Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, a non-profit organization that promotes community development through neighborhood-based programs offering home ownership, lending and rehab services. The organization renovated former tenement houses on South Corliss Avenue in the Pullman Landmark District. The rehabilitation was also recognized as a winning project in HGTV's "Restore America."

"Today's award winners have worked to retain the historic essence of their properties with exemplary preservation efforts that serve the whole community," said David Mosena, Chairman, Commission on Chicago Landmarks.

Preservation Award winners were selected by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, based on the previous year's projects that received approval from the Commission's Permit Review Committee.

Only properties that have been designated by the City Council as individual Chicago Landmarks or as part of a Chicago Landmark District are eligible. The awards are presented to owners in recognition of their critical role in preserving the city's historic landmarks and keeping them in active use.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Peter Scales
Phone: (312) 744-2976
E-mail: Peter.Scales@cityofchicago.org
Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008