The Commission on Chicago Landmarks recently honored 17 landmark buildings, homeowners, and businesses with the Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence. The projects include the rehabilitation of BCBG Max Azria's storefront in Lincoln Park, the restoration of Tree Studios downtown, and the exterior rehabilitation of an historic home on Newport Ave.
BCBG Max Azria received an award for the storefront rehabilitation at 2140 N. Halsted St. in the Armitage-Halsted District. The Armitage-Halsted District in the Lincoln Park community area forms one of the finest 19th-century neighborhood commercial streetscapes remaining in Chicago. This commercial tenant, a women's apparel store, unexpectedly discovered large parts of the original historic storefront that were covered over in a previous remodeling, and revised the project to retain and restore these features. This project included the installation of full-height glazed windows with transoms, and cleaning and exposing the original fluted cast iron columns. The Armitage-Halsted District was designated a Chicago Landmark on Feb. 5, 2003.
Owner Friedman Properties, LTD. received an award for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of Tree Studios on 603-621 N. State St. With assistance from the city's Tax Increment Financing program, the owner saved and rehabilitated Tree Studios and the adjacent Medinah Temple from certain demolition. Work included the restoration of the 1894 retail storefronts facing State St. and the 1912 and 1913 Ohio and Ontario street annexes; and the rehabilitation of the artist studios and tenant spaces within. The original lobbies and hallways as well as the interior courtyard were also restored. The Medinah Temple was awarded a Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence in 2003. Both the Medinah Temple and Tree Studios were designated Chicago Landmarks on June 27, 2001.
Owner David Funcheon of AON Development received an award for the exterior rehabilitation of 823 W. Newport Ave. in the Newport Avenue District. The Newport Avenue District is a block-long area that exhibits a handsome mix of multi-residential residences from the late 19th-century. Mainly composed of three-flats like this building, the District exemplifies the architecture of Chicago's booming working class of the period. This property was threatened with demolition when at the urging of local residents and Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), developer Funcheon proposed a swap of the building for his nearby property. He then rehabilitated 823 W. Newport, while taking advantage of local and state historic preservation tax credits. The Newport Avenue District was designated a fully intact Chicago Landmark District on Feb. 9, 2005.
"Projects like these bring Chicago's history back to life," said Commission Chair David Mosena. "We salute this year's honorees for taking these restoration projects to a higher level and preserving their architectural integrity." |
