Ever-Beleaguered Thompson Center Leads List Of State's Most Endangered Historic Sites
By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 6, 2017 8:28PM
Wikipedia
Every year, the preservationists over at Landmark Illinois release a list of the most endangered historic places in the state in hopes of ratcheting up public support to keep and maintain those sites. Three of this year's placing sites are right here in Chicago, with the eternally embattled Thompson Center heading up the pack. Also on this year's roundup from our city are the O'Hare Rotunda Building and the Singer Pavilion.
The refrain to save the Thompson Center is a familiar one—as it ought to be. Citing its hefty operational costs, Gov. Rauner has frequently made the push to sell—and possibly demolish—the hulking post-modern icon over the last couple of years. The hard sell was once again taken up earlier this year—prompting dueling skyscraper proposals. Landmark Illinois said on Thursday that the organization is in favor of the state selling the Thompson Center, "but only if such a sale includes reuse options."
Talk of potential demolition sparked a counter-response from preservations circles, like today's. Last year, local group Preservation Chicago named the Helmut Jahn-designed to its own list of the most endangered sites in the city. (This year Jean Dubuffet's 'Monument with Standing Beast,' which sits in the building's plaza, was included on the 2017 Preservation Chicago list, along with other public-art works.) Opened in 1985, the building and its famous, dizzying atrium represents a unique moment in Chicago architecture history, during the wane of modernism and at the advent of post-modernism, according to the experts.
Also on the list from Chicago is the Rotunda Building at O'Hare Airport, a modernist artifact, built in 1962, that sports an impressive dome structure and oculus. The site remains in use and mostly intact but preservationists fear that the city's plans to expand the concourse and add terminals could leave the rotunda in jeopardy.
The Singer Pavilion (2929 S. Ellis Ave.)—the last-standing holdover from the city's demolition of the Michael Reese Hospital campus—was also flagged among the most endangered. The city was expected to name a developer for the campus site on Thursday, but the Department of Planning and Development said no one will be named until at least next month, according to DNAinfo.
The other endangered places, from elsewhere in the state are:
- Ryan’s Round Barn, Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area in Henry County.
- McKee House in Lombard, DuPage County
- Norway Temperance Hall in Norway, LaSalle County
- The Federal Historic Tax Credit (statewide)
- Historic Bridges (statewide)
- Route 66 (statewide)
- World War I Monuments (statewide)
You can check out the full, detailed list here.