Preservation Chicago’s 2019 list of the city’s most threatened historic buildings grew from its traditional seven sites to nine this year, with two holdovers from 2018: the James R. Thompson Center and Jackson Park (including the South Shore Cultural Center and part of the Midway Plaisance).
The threat to the Thompson Center stems from the fact that Governor J.B. Pritzker—like Bruce Rauner before him—wants to sell the unique postmodern structure to a developer to help shore up the state’s finances, while plans for the Obama Presidential Center and a possible professional level golf course threaten Jackson Park, the Midway Plaisance, and the South Shore Cultural Center.
Preservation Chicago executive director Ward Miller announced the group’s list of seven “plus two” at noon Wednesday at the Chicago Architecture Center. The add-ons were necessary because this year’s threats were so extensive, Miller said.
Here’s the rest of the list: the Crawford Power Generating Station (in Little Village), the Hammer/Palmer Mansion (Bronzeville), Laramie State Bank (Austin), Loretto Academy (Woodlawn), Second Church of Christ Scientist (Lincoln Park), the Seven Continents/Rotunda Building (at O’Hare Airport), and Roman Catholic churches throughout the city that have been threatened by closures and consolidations. v