Preservation Battle Over Lincoln Park’s Second Church of Christ, Scientist
The Second Church of Christ, Scientist in Lincoln Park is at the center of a bubbling preservation battle. The congregation has shrunk precipitously and can no longer afford their historic venue. Thus, a battle has erupted between the forces of architectural preservation, led by the venerable Preservation Chicago, and those of commercial development. It is […]
Jackson Park and the Battle Over Historic Preservation
Jackson Park is currently the focal point of a contentious civic debate. The Obama Presidential Center and a new Tiger Woods-branded golf course are about to remake the historic park. Preservationists, most notably Preservation Chicago, and neighborhood community groups have been pushing back against these plans. I attended Preservation Chicago’s announcement of its annual endangered […]
A New Phase in Chicago Jazz History in Bronzeville
Chicago jazz history in Bronzeville, like any history, will continue to evolve. Meyers Hardware, in Bronzeville, has closed its doors after 95 years in business. For the past six years, I’ve had the pleasure of taking groups on our Jazz, Blues, and Beyond Tour inside his hardware store to see relics from its incredible past as a legendary […]
Chicago Architecture and Ideas on Preservation
A sad truth about buildings is that they often come down. A great architect can build a great building and a savvy developer can buy it, demolish it and build a new one. In Chicago, with all our wonderful architecture, this is a song well sung. Thinking on this idea of preservation, I decided to […]