Landmarks Commission

Development

Thursday, July 7, 2022
12:45 p.m. CDT

Remote

This is a remote assignment to document the Chicago Commission on Landmarks and the subsequent Permit Review Committee meeting, if held. The meeting will be live-streamed via Vimeo at https://livestream.com/accounts/28669066/events/9117952.

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Mihir Garud

Landmark recommendations for Epworth Church Building, K.A.M Isaiah Israel Temple and the Second Presbyterian Church

View notes

Live reporting by Ahmad Sayles

Landmark recommendations for Epworth Church Building, K.A.M Isaiah Israel Temple and the Second Presbyterian Church

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles

Good Afternoon! I’ll be live-tweeting the Commission on Chicago Landmarks meeting for @CHIdocumenters #CHIdocumenters. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m.

12:37 PM Jul 7, 2022 CDT

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 2/39

View the meeting along with me here: livestream.com/accounts/28669…

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 3/39

Agenda here: chicago.gov/content/dam/ci… https://t.co/Hc3zh2vByN

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 4/39

Chairperson Wong calls the meeting to order. Roll call to establish quorum begins.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 5/39

Chairman Wong calls for a moment of silence for the Highland Park July 4th massacre.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 6/39

The public commentary session begins.

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Mr. Esposito speaks in favor of the preliminary landmark recommendation for the Epworth Church Building on 5253 N. Kenmore Ave in Edgewater.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 8/39

The second public speaker, Mr. Miller speaks in favor of the preservation of the Epworth Church Building. blockclubchicago.org/2022/05/16/edg…

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 9/39

Mr. Bruce Green also speaks in favor of landmarking the building.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 10/39

Mr. Green remarks on the social services the Epworth Church Building has provided over the years. Giving shelter to the homeless, local gym, and tutoring programs to the community.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 11/39

Interior of Epworth United Methodist Church. Multiple Edgewater residents are speaking in favor of preserving the building. Photo 📸 by Stephanie Barto https://t.co/KaOthzw5Le

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 12/39

Mr. Miller from Preservation Chicago speaks in favor of landmarking the K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temple, which is one of the oldest synagogues in Chicago. K.A.M. is located at 1100 E. Hyde Park Blvd.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 13/39

Mr. Miller is also in favor of landmarking the Second Presbyterian Church at 1936 S. Michigan Ave.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 14/39

Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church has called in and asked the commission to approve its Adopt-a-Landmark application.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 15/39

Public commentators are speaking in favor of landmarking the Century and Consumers Buildings on 202 & 220 South State St.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 16/39

More info about the Century and Consumer Buildings here: chicagobusiness.com/commercial-rea…

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 17/39

More info about the Century and Consumer Buildings here: blockclubchicago.org/2022/05/18/ins…

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 18/39

The public commentary session ends. On to the agenda. Approval of the minutes from the May 5th meeting passes.

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Ald. Osterman (48) speaks in favor of the Preliminary landmark recommendation of the Epworth United Methodist Church Building.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 20/39

The preliminary landmark recommendation of the Epworth United Methodist Church Building carries unanimously.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 21/39

The Citywide Adopt-a-Landmark Fund application for K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temple is up for consideration. https://t.co/xiInVpYHVU

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 22/39

The grant is worth $250,000.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 23/39

Citywide Adopt-a-Landmark application for K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temples passes.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 24/39

The Citywide Adopt-a-Landmark application for Second Presbyterian Church is under consideration. https://t.co/dMGwYwW91F

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 25/39

The citywide Adopt-a-Landmark fund grant for Second Presbyterian Church passes.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 26/39

On to the program committee report. These are recommendations to the Illinois Historic Advisory Council on Nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. https://t.co/j72cpbLJcA

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Motion to approve recommendations carries.

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On to other business. A presentation on the Century and Consumers buildings at 202 & 220 South State St.

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History of the Century Building. https://t.co/eVLyCYFiz7

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History of the Consumers Building. https://t.co/8Tfx8Xdn8y

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 31/39

Both of these buildings are federally owned properties since 2005. https://t.co/Sb2nArlEVO

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 32/39

A representative from the Dirksen Courthouse, Hon. Rebecca Pallmeyer says there are security concerns with these buildings. Wants foot traffic access to Federal Plaza from the east.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 33/39

The federally owned Century and Consumers Buildings have been vacant since 2005.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 34/39

Chairperson Wong has concerns about the demolition of these buildings considering the public's experience with the construction of Block 37 on State St.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 35/39

Commissioners want to preserve as much of old Chicago as possible. They mentioned public support to renovate these buildings instead of demolishing them.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 36/39

Chairperson Wong calls for a resolution to better understand the importance of the Century and Consumers Buildings. He wants the Commission to further discuss alternatives to demolishing historic buildings.

Ahmad Sayles @ahmad_sayles 37/39

Motion for resolution carries. On to the last agenda item; permit review committee reports.

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This is a report on projects reviewed at the May 5th and June 9th, permit review committee meetings.

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Chairperson Wong calls for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion approved. The Commission on Landmarks meeting ends at 3:22 p.m. This ends my coverage for @CHIdocumenters find more information through Mihir Garud’s notes at documenters.org

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Attachments

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By Mihir Garud 7/7/2022

Agency Information

Commission on Chicago Landmarks

www.chicago.gov

(312) 744-3200

landmarks@cityofchicago.org

@ChicagoDPD

See Documenters reporting

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks is responsible for recommending buildings, structures, sites and districts for legal protection as official Chicago landmarks. Staffed by the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), the commission is also responsible for reviewing proposed alterations to existing landmarks and districts, as well as proposed demolitions of structures considered to be historically or architecturally significant.