Chicago Photographer Saves Buildings Through Photos

By Andrew Peerless in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 13, 2005 2:45PM

Chicagoist has a new hero for the day, and Brian Palm is his name-o. An architectural photographer of commercial real estate by day, Palm spends spare time and resources photographing historic Chicago buildings that are slated for demolition in the wake of frenzied condominium development city-wide.

Twenty-eight year old Palm has been at it for a while, spurred to action by a January 2003 Chicago City Council ordinance that mandates a 90-day examination period of old buildings that are on the chopping block. While the city mulls over whether or not the wrecking balls will come through, Palm pays the buildings a visit and captures images using a large format camera (to preserve architectural details in the clearest form possible).

Many of Palm's subjects are holdouts of once-common architectural styles; that is, buildings that are historical, but not necessarily distinct enough for owners to fork over the cash for necessary renovations. In one instance, however, his photographs literally saved a building from demolition, when preservationists used his images as tangible proof of why a Queen Anne style house on the 4600 block of North Paulina should be spared.

Take a glimpse at some of Palm's excellent photography on his site, but feel a little sad because the bulk of these buildings have probably been turned to dust by now.