Preservation Chicago unveiled its annual list of the city's seven most threatened historic places Wednesday. The list is exclusively hospitals, movie houses and churches, but the represent parts of Chicago history they and others believe need to be preserved. more ›

An influential historic preservation think tank adds old Prentice Women's Hospital to its list of America's 11 most endangered buildings. more ›

Preservation Chicago unveiled today their annual list of the "Chicago 7," the seven most endangered buildings of the city. They are: more ›

Almost daily, buildings that have stood for decades, some even for a century, are destroyed. For example, the buildings that made up the Cabrini Green housing project get a little bit smaller every day. Other famed architecture like the two Adler & Sullivan buildings that went up in flames (the Pilgrim Baptist Church and Wirt-Dexter building) in one year have also been lost to the ages. more ›

Preservation Chicago announced its 7 most endangered buildings today, and on the list are surprise entries Grant Park and the Landmarks Ordinance. Also cited are Norwood Park, the American Book Company Building, the Devon Ave commercial district, the Booker Building and the Daily News building. more ›

Carey Primeau posted these photos to Flickr last week, and we can't stop looking at them. Primeau tells us that the building was the Illinois Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary, 135 S. Sangamon. more ›

It’s the beginning of the year, and that means it’s time for architectural institution Preservation Chicago to unveil its picks of the seven most endangered buildings in the city, colloquially known as the Chicago 7. We’re always interested to see what buildings, structures or districts the little-organization-that-could deems worthy of its annual list. The finalists: North Avenue Bridge. We mistakenly believed this was the bridge someone asked Chicagoist about last week, but 'tis not the... more ›

The architectural preservationist signal went up all over town Thursday afternoon. On that day, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks went to vote on the fate of the Farwell Building, an Art Deco/French-inspired edifice at 664 N. Michigan. Prism Development Company, the Farwell's current owner, put their proposal in front of the board: To strip the outside of the 11-story landmarked building of its facade, demolish the skeleton, and reattach the facade to a newly-built 40-story... more ›

For the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, the answer is simple: put down the blowtorch. This year, two high-profile historic buildings have been destroyed by torch-related accidents. The Pilgrim Baptist Church, a centenarian Adler and Sullivan beauty, smoldered in January, and just a few weeks ago, scrap workers accidentally torched the Wirt Dexter Building using the same tool. The LPC calls for new laws restricting such cutting and welding operations at historic sites. Beyond these... more ›

Exhibit A: Pilgrim Baptist Church Location: 3301 S. Indiana Avenue Built: 1890-91 Notable facts: Originally built by Louis Sullivan and his partner, Dankmar Adler, as the Kehilath Anshe Ma'ariv synagogue. Became the Pilgrim Baptist Church in 1922. Often called the birthplace of gospel music, due to musical director Thomas Dorsey. Designated as a Chicago landmark: Dec. 18, 1981 Fate: Destroyed by fire, Jan. 6, 2006. Caused by workers doing roof restoration. Future: Possible rebuilding. Exterior... more ›

Months back while writing a post about the now-defunct BOS Distilling Company we lamented briefly on the then-recent closing of the Artful Dodger. Folks with fond memories of the Dodger knew that it was being consigned to memory long before it finally closed its doors, with whispers floating around that the building at 1734 West Wabansia with the Queen Anne style architecture was slated to be sold, razed, re-zoned and turned into condos. Well, that's... more ›

Red and Brown line commuters passing through Lincoln Park were likely startled by the sudden demolition of DePaul University’s Hayes-Healy Athletic Center. The 76 year-old Gothic structure (pictured, right) abutting the el tracks just south of the Fullerton stop met the wrecking ball last week despite the best efforts of Preservation Chicago, who included the structure on their “Seven Most Threatened Buildings” for 2006. That this structure won’t even stand at the end of 2005... more ›

Calling attention to unique and threatened urban spaces, Preservation Chicago has released their annual list of endangered Chicago buildings. Not much on the list will surprise anyone who follows the ongoing drama of developer/preservationist smackdowns. We expected to see: Promontory Point, with its beautiful but fading limestone steps. If the City has its way, these will go the way of their concrete-laden counterparts to the north. DePaul University’s Hayes-Healey Center, which the CTA plans to... more ›

Is there other news to discuss outside of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? If there is, we’re having a hard time paying attention to it. Despite occurring some 920 miles away, the tragedy in the Gulf Coast region has already become a local and state issue as the massive loss of life and property, the looming health and energy crises and the breakdown of the rule of law have a ripple effect across the nation.... more ›