Chicago's 6 Most Endangered Historic Places
Chicago's history is often told in its buildings and some are too important to be consigned to the wrecking ball. Preservation Chicago's annual "Chicago 7" list of the most endangered buildings in the city is used to draw attention to historic sites it deems too important to lose. (Sadly, one has already been torn down.) We agree, so we dug up more info on these oldies but goodies.
Designed by Dubin & Eisenberg, Agudas Achim housed one of Chicago's largest Jewish congregations upon the building's 1922 completion. Dubbed "the last grand Chicago synagogue," the building meshed Art Deco, Spanish and Romanesque-Revival styles. Attendance shrunk over the decades as Uptown's demographics shifted. The building fell into disrepair, currently sits vacant, and has been listed for sale. Preservation Chicago fears the building may be bought by a developer who would demolish the structure.
Built in 1916 as a beach house for one of the North Side's most popular beaches, this building's integrity suffered over the decades as the land between it and the lakeshore was filled to extend parkland, while building modifications over the past 40 years led to water infiltration and roof issues that need to be addressed. The Park District released funds to repair the roof, which is only a start.
Architectural firm Patten & Fisher designed the building, and meatpacking magnate Philip D. Armour funded its construction; it's now a designated Chicago landmark. The facility was originally intended to house the school's classes and offices, but that focus shifted when Mies van Der Rohe arrived in Chicago and expanded IIT's campus. While it still has a prominent place on campus, it's fallen into disrepair as the school has invested money to restore and repair the Mies-designed buildings. IIT issued a RFP seeking ideas for adaptive reuse.
Located in West Humboldt Park, Pioneer Arcade opened in 1925 as one of Chicago's largest bowling alleys and billiard parlors, but more resembled the city's classic movie houses with its Spanish Colonial Revival interior design. The New Apollo Theater was built in 1914, pre-dating the classic vaudeville theaters of the time. Both buildings have been underutilized for decades and currently stand vacant. Pioneer Arcade was slated for mixed-use redevelopment 10 years ago, but the market crash reduced the scope of the project. Pioneer Arcade is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the 1920s, Halsted and 63rd streets was second to State Street as one of the busiest retail and entertainment districts in Chicago. This Classic-Revival style building designed by Clarence Hatfield in 1921 was a popular site for community events, and its powerful presence could be viewed from several blocks away. The building's fortunes soured along with Englewood's, and the temple has been vacant since the 1980s as several proposals to readapt the building have failed to gain traction. Nearby development, such as the expansion of Kennedy-King College's campus and the construction of a Whole Foods at 63rd and Halsted, mean this building could see new interest.
For decades, neon signs were as ubiquitous along Chicago's commercial districts as LED billboards are today. From the Drake Hotel's iconic neon (pictured) to the Santa Fe Building, along with neighborhood examples such as Simon's Tavern in Andersonville, neon signs are becoming rare these days. The cost of maintaining neon signs, along with regulations and regular inspections, resulted in several of these signs being replaced with less vibrant forms of signage.
The former Lincoln Park home to this steel company has been the source of contentious redevelopment debate. Developers called for relaxing the industrial zoning restrictions to allow for mixed-use redevelopment. Preservationists and other opponents countered that the current zoning kept rampant building in check. The site's current owners began demolishing buildings on the 23-acre site in January and the process is all but complete. Sterling Bay is in talks to buy the Finkl site and invest up to $1B redeveloping it and two adjacent sites it bought in July.
