VOICE The Journal of Preservation WINTER 20 11

ISSUE No 10

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Lathrop HOmes REDEVELOPMENT STIRS CONTROVeRSEY Page 3

READ THE LATEST PRESERVATION STATUS REPORT Page 6

8 Schlitz taverns Landmarked Page 7

333 East Superior St., 1975, Bertrand Goldberg - Bertrand Goldberg and Associates Architect Photo Credit: Chicago History Museum Can Goldberg’s Modern Masterpiece be saved?

Perhaps the most overused word in the architectural principles, resulting in a uniquely original design lexicon is “unique”. It has been bandied about so philosophy. Rather than steel and glass, he adopted frequently that when a truly revolutionary piece of concrete as his medium; its plasticity the ideal architecture is built, the word loses all its meaning. material to realize his vision. Goldberg opined that However, in 1975, when Bertrand Goldberg’s Prentice there were no right angles in nature and strove to Women’s Pavilion opened on Chicago’s Northwestern create a more organic architecture, thus gravitating Hospital campus, the world witnessed the completion to more circular forms. of a structure that truly was unique. Now, merely 35 years old, this amazing masterwork is threatened Best known for his prescient Marina City, Goldberg with demolition. created a complete urban environment within a single development, a city within a city for urban Goldberg trained at Harvard and studied, for a time, professionals which provided affordable rental at the German Bauhaus under the direction of archi- housing, retail services, entertainment, and office tect . When Goldberg space. Anchored by the now iconic twin corncob returned to Chicago in 1933, he shaped the Miesian towers, Marina City paved the way for the “24 hour philosophy he had acquired there to suit his own downtown” and presaged a trend in urban living Continued on page 4 VOICE

PRESERVATION CHICAGO MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Board of Directors Preservation Chicago Board Welcomes New Leadership Ward Miller President I’m honored to have been elected President of Preservation Chicago and want to thank Jack Spicer Vice President the Board and especially interim president, Jack Spicer, who has been supportive of Greg Brewer Treasurer the organization for so many years and has brought so many pertinent issues to the Debbie Dodge Secretary organization for discussion and action. I look forward to working with the members of the Board and Jack, returning as Vice President. Beth Baxter Board Nicholas Bianchi Board For over twenty years I worked at Vinci-Hamp Architects, Inc. My projects included restoration, residential remodelings and museum installations. Since 1983, I have Carla Bruni Board participated in efforts to save and landmark historic buildings in Chicago. These include Jeremi Bryant Board two significant historic districts in the Logan Square community. I’m currently the Vice Sandy Gartler Board President of Logan Square Preservation and have served on the IHSAC of the State Historic Preservation Agency. Pam Jameson Board Charles Leeks Board In 2003, I was hired as the Executive Director of the Richard Nickel Committee and Kristy Menas Board have since become a co-author, with Chicago architect, of The Complete Architecture of Adler & Sullivan, begun by noted architectural photographer, Richard Craig Norris Board Nickel and Aaron Siskind. It was a phenomenal undertaking and I’m grateful to all who Scott Rappe Board were involved in its production and support, including such organizations as Preservation Andy Schcolnick Board Chicago. Beth Schwindt Board For the coming year, I would like to see the membership become involved in their communities in which they live, and bring issues and resources to the table monthly Staff for discussion and action. I would also like to see our staff become full-time employees of the organization and further pursue additional grant funding. Perhaps once a year, Jonathan Fine examine what we may be able to do to support a preservation effort of a significant Executive Director building outside Chicago. Let’s work towards the recognition of these types of buildings as nothing less than great works of art and America’s great treasures, which are to be Stacey Pfingsten saved with the support of groups like Preservation Chicago. Communications Manager I look forward to the year ahead and offer my sincere gratitude to each of you as members and wish you a happy and productive new year in 2011. Contact us: 4410 N. Ravenswood Avenue Ward Miller Chicago, IL 60640 President, Preservation Chicago www.preservationchicago.org ph: 773.334.8800 MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR fax: 773.334.8803 Preservation Challenges Abound in 2011 email: [email protected] As we enter 2011, there is no question that our preservation challenges could be as great as, EDITOR IN CHIEF: Jonathan Fine or greater than, those we faced in 2010. SENIOR EDITOR: Laura Stigler-Marier GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Sandy Gartler Last year, we witnessed the destruction of 7 buildings designed by Walter Gropius on the Michael COMMUNICATIONS MGR.: Stacey Pfingsten Reese Hospital campus. Adding insult to injury, the city issued a demolition permit for the one PHOTO CREDITS: Reese building they had promised to save, the 1905 Schmidt and Garden Old Main building. Cover: Hedrich Blessing Photo, courtesy of Chicago History Museum Archives This year the economic downturn will continue to plague efforts to re-purpose some of our most Page 3: Andy Marfia important architecture. Structures like the Old Post Office, the Chicago Motor Club building, and Page 4: , The Archives the Chicago Defender building all remain vacant and without a reuse plan. Moreover, the fate of Bertrand Goldberg of the former Prentice Women’s Hospital hangs in the balance. With Page 5: Art Institute of Chicago, The Archives poised to take ownership this year, efforts to raise public awareness about preserving this of Bertrand Goldberg seminal work of Bertrand Goldberg will become critical. Preservation of the Lathrop Homes also Page 6: Jonathan Fine, Gordon McAlpin, takes center stage in 2011. Jack Spicer, Stacey Pfingsten City of Chicago Dept. of Zoning and Land Use Planning Page 7: Jack Spicer, Stacey Pfingsten Although these are just a few of the issues confronting us this year, the good news is that Page 8: Jonathan Fine Preservation Chicago starts 2011 on very solid footing. We recently rebuilt our web site allowing visitors to access more information than ever before. We also have made the commitment to continue publishing the Voice twice yearly, rather than making it completely electronic. © 2011 PRESERVATION CHICAGO All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is strictly prohibited. Preservation Chicago is a not- But most importantly, we welcome our new board president Ward Miller. Mr. Miller helped for-profit organization registered as a 501c3. found Preservation Chicago in 2001 but left shortly thereafter to focus on the publication of his new book. With its publication now complete, Ward returns to the organization with a renewed energy, spirit and vision that will help usher Preservation Chicago into its second decade.

Jonathan Fine Executive Director, Preservation Chicago

Citizens advocating for the preservation of Chicago’s historic architecture 2 Lathrop “Redevelopment” plan kicks into high gear

Depending on your perspective, Lathrop Homes will either be revitalized or destroyed this year. Late last year, after months of discussion, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Board of Commissioners accepted the Lathrop Working Group’s recommendation to enter into an agreement with Lathrop Community Partners, a group of developers, architects, housing advocates, and other advisors formed by the CHA to help facilitate the revitalization of the complex.

Their mission is to lead a community process with, ostensibly, the end result being a new vision for the 35-acre complex bounded by Clybourn, Diversey, Damen and the Chicago River.

However, a majority of the current residents do not believe that a radical remaking of Lathrop is necessary for it to again become a public housing success story. Their desire is to restore it back, as closely as possible, to the vision of its Lathrop Homes Photo Credit: Andy Marfia original architects.

To that end, these remaining residents have created a coali- tion with the Logan Square Neighborhood Association in an effort to ensure that their needs and desires are not thwarted during the process. Although the CHA has vacated over 60% of the units over the past several years in an effort to minimize community opposition to redevelopment, the remaining residents remain organized and committed to preserving the best of Lathrop Homes.

Completed at the height of the Great Depression in 1938, Lathrop embodied the ideals of the newly created Public Works Administration, a federal body charged with building decent affordable public housing for the working poor. The project employed a Who’s-Who of prominent architects, including Robert S. De Golyer, Hugh Garden, Tallmadge and Watson, Lathrop Homes Photo Credit: Andy Marfia E.E. Roberts, Charles White and Hubert Burnham. Land- scapes were provided by none other than renowned landscape Preservation Chicago first took up the cause of Lathrop Homes architect, Jens Jensen. when it was listed as one of 7 Most Threatened places in 2006. Since that time, the organization continues to stand with the resi- The original complex consisted of 925 units housed in a dents of Lathrop, along side our sister organizations Landmarks series of humanly-scaled three and four- story walk-ups set Illinois and the National Trust for Historic Preservation and other amid lush landscapes. A senior high-rise and two other support stakeholders, in an effort to ensure that Lathrop Homes is preserved. buildings were added in the 1950’s. Unlike so many of the CHA’s other public housing complexes, Lathrop thrived on – Jonathan Fine its cultural diversity and remains to this day one of the few successfully integrated CHA projects. Moreover, Lathrop remains What can you do to preserve Lathrop Homes: an important and welcome housing resource in an otherwise Call or Write: well-heeled North Side. 1st Ward Alderman Proco Joe Moreno 2058 N. Western Avenue Ironically, Lathrop embodies exactly the kind of community that Chicago, IL 60647 [email protected] the city’s Plan for Transformation called for when it began a phone: (773) 278-0101 decade-long effort to destroy all CHA high-rises and replace Learn More: them with low-rise development. Yet today, the CHA wants to 7 Most Threatened places of 2006 dramatically increase the density of the complex and has not http://www.preservationchicago.org/chicago-seven/2007 ruled out either wholesale demolition or the insertion of high-rise Landmarks Illinois Reuse Study development in order to achieve its goal of 1200 units on the site. http://www.landmarks.org/preservationnews_lathrop_homes.htm

3 Continued from page 1 that was 20 years ahead of its time. called “villages of space.” His attention to the needs of the individuals within the structure dominated the design of the The design of Marina City was pioneering. When completed complex, and the ideas that were first employed here would in 1963, the 40 stories of apartments surmounted over 20 be used in future hospital commissions including Prentice, as stories of ramped parking made it the tallest apartment building well as those that would come after it. and the tallest reinforced concrete structure in the world. And it was the first major use of slip-form concrete construction, a Yet Prentice turned out to be Goldberg’s most progressive method that allowed the reusable fiberglass forms to be easily and most fully realized architectural achievement, for it was raised, or ‘slipped’ upward, as soon as the previous pour of here that Goldberg taught concrete to fly. concrete had set, saving time, labor and ultimately cost. Like Marina City and the numerous hospital commissions that Marina City, despite its innovative design, was a bargain followed, Prentice’s structure is supported by a central core. to build even by the standards of the early 1960’s. However, unlike Prentice, those others all rely on ancillary The commission for Prentice came at a time when BGA (Bertrand exterior structure to support their cantilevered elements. Goldberg Associates) had already completed several other At Prentice, Goldberg was finally able to jettison all exterior hospital projects. As early as 1964, with his master plan for supports, creating a hospital tower that was fully cantilevered Affiliated Hospitals in Boston, he began to explore howa over its base.

The base of Prentice is a conventional box consisting of traditional steel post and beam construction. However, atop this structure sits the seven-story quatrefoil, or four-lobed, bed tower. The central core of the tower pierces through the horizontal base. This concrete core supports these upper stories of cantilevered hospital rooms, allowing the entire bed tower to be column free. This also allows the lower structure to remain completely free of interior columns and was intended to facilitate the concept of universal space. Ironically, Goldberg even envisioned that Prentice would become obsolete and anticipated that day by designing a space that was as flexible as possible to adapt to a different use, which would therefore preserve the building.

The tower that cantilevers above the base was achieved by the employment of massive arches, which transfer the load diagonally back to the central core, rather than vertically down to the ground. Moreover, the exterior concrete shell is load Floor plan of Prentice Hospital Photo Credit: Art Institute of Chicago, Betrand Goldberg Archives bearing, in direct contrast to the typical glass curtain wall that was virtually mandated by the modernist idiom at mid-century. clover leaf floor plate design could aid in the delivery of hospital services by eliminating long hallways and blind corners. At the time of its construction, no other structure in the world was engineered like Prentice and, to this day, few concrete His 1967 Elgin State Hospital, in Elgin Illinois, was his first structures can boast a completely cantilevered floor system. completed hospital design and consisted of some of the architectural and engineering elements that would be ultimately But the quatrefoil design served a second and more important perfected at Prentice. Although the design was a simple drum purpose. With nurse stations clustered around a central core, shape, it did feature a cantilevered tower over a square base, a rather than in the center of a long corridor, the plan facilitated concept that would be the central organizing scheme for all of his a much higher level of care. Hospital staff was only steps future medical facilities. Sadly, this structure is also threatened away from each patient and all rooms had easy visual access with demolition and was recently listed on Landmarks Illinois’ from the nursing station. Chicagoland Watch List. Upon its completion, Prentice was lauded by both the Master planning for the Health Sciences Center in Stony Brook, architecture community and the hospital industry for its New York began in 1967, although the project was not completed innovative architecture and its attention to the needs until 1974. Goldberg’s vision for this project was to revolutionize of its patients. In the 1970’s, as the medical profession health care by fundamentally changing the environment in which began to reject the sterility of assembly line deliveries it was delivered. Although the immense complex consisted of and instead focused on elevating the individual birthing 8 colleges and a daily population of 12,000 people, Goldberg experience of mother, child and family, Prentice Women’s minimized the massiveness of the complex by breaking the Hospital and the contributions made by Bertrand Goldberg structure into a series of more humane environments he set the precedent.

4 which it sits for new research facilities, a plan that as currently drawn, almost guarantees its demolition.

Preservation Chicago first advocated for Prentice’s preservation when it was listed as one of the 7 Most Threatened buildings of 2004. Over the years, other preservation organizations and concerned

stakeholders have taken up the cause. However, with the transfer

of ownership imminent, this year is critical if this landmark is to be saved. Goldberg’s innovative cantilever design was intended to afford maximum flexibility, at the time, if the building had to be re-purposed. There would be no greater honor to this great architect than if his structure could be adaptively reused for a purpose that perhaps even he could not have envisioned.

Preservation Chicago has created a 7-minute video that illustrates why this structure is so important. Last year, we joined forces with Landmarks Illinois, The Midwest Office of the National Trust and The Chicago Chapter of docomomo in a concerted effort to preserve this architectural tour de force. Currently, an adaptive re- use study is in the works to illustrate Prentice’s future potential. Once complete, that plan will be jointly presented to the public.

— Jonathan Fine What YOU can do to Save Prentice!

• Contact or write: Alderman Brendan Reilly, 42nd Ward 325 West Huron Street, Suite 510 Chicago, IL 60654 312-642-4242 phone [email protected] Intersection Of Supporting Arches Art Institute of Chicago, Betrand Goldberg Archives

Today, there is a new Prentice. With this larger and more state- • Watch the Prentice video and then send of-the-art facility, it is able to deliver women’s health services to a friend: www.preservationchicago.org with a greater degree of dignity, humanity and excellence than it has in the past. However, that should not relegate the former • Join the Save Prentice Facebook Page: www.saveprentice.org Prentice Women’s Hospital to the land fill. It is far too important a building for Chicago and the world to lose. Prentice is currently Visit our sister organizations: owned by Northwestern Memorial Hospital. But in early 2011, Landmarks Illinois – www.landmarks.org the hospital is obligated to transfer ownership to Northwestern NTHP - Midwest Office – www.nthp.org University, which plans to redevelop the entire parcel of land on http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/modernism-recent-past

Brief highlights in the career of Bertrand Goldberg:

1913 Bertrand Goldberg is born in Chicago. 1932 Studies at the Bauhaus in Germany with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe 1935 Works in the office of Keck and Keck 1936 Works in the office of and Howard Fisher 1937 Opens own architecture practice in Chicago 1945 Service in WWII ends 1957 Drexel Gardens opens 1959 Receives commission for Marina City 1964 Marina Towers completed 1966 Hilliard Homes open 1966 Elected to the college of fellows of the American Institute of Architects 1968 Museum of Modern Art includes Goldberg’s work in an exhibition 1975 Prentice Women’s Hospital opens Bertrand Goldberg 1985 Awarded Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by French government 1986 River City opens but later phases never completed 1997 Goldberg dies in Chicago

5 PRESERVATION STATUS REPORT

LOST

Doctor’s Hospital Coach house IN KENWOOD Hebrew Theological College Address: 5800 S. Stony Island Avenue Date: 1900’s Address: 3448-3458 W. Douglas Boulevard Architect: Schmidt, Garden and Martin Architect: Jarvis Hunt Date: 1923 Date: 1914 Style: Eclectic Architect: Loewenberg and Loewenberg Style: Colonial Revival Lost: Demolition by neglect Style: Beaux Arts Lost: To Be Demolished for Lab School Annex Lost: Demolished after years of neglect by Chicago Public Schools UNCERTAIN

CHICAGO DEFENDER BUILDING Chicago Motor Club Building Walgreen’s mansion Address: 2400 S. Michigan Address: 68 E. Wacker Address: 67th and South Shore Drive Date: 1936 Date: 1928 Date: 1920’s Architect: Philip Maher Architect: Holabird and Root Architect: Unknown Style: Spanish Mission Style Style: Art Deco Style: Spanish Revival Uncertain: Vacant, newspaper relocated Uncertain: Building’s owner Uncertain: Remains vacant and deteriorating declared bankruptcy SAFE

SHORELAND HOTEL Spiegel Administration Building Old Republic building Address: 5454 S. South Shore Drive Address: 1038 W. 35th St Address: 307 N. Michigan Avenue Date: 1925-1926 Date: 1936 and 1942 Date: 1924 Architect: Meyer Fridstein Architect: Battey & Kipp, Abraham Epstein Architect: K.M. Vitzhum, J.J. Burns Assoc. Style: Spanish Renaissance Revival Style: Moderne Style: Classical Revival Safe: Landmarked July 1, 2010 Safe: Chicago Landmark, November 4, 2010 Safe: Chicago Landmark, October 7, 2010 6 6 City reneges on promise to save ‘Old Main’

Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (4th) laid the groundwork for the demolition of the Old Main building on the Michael Reese Hospital at an October public meeting, when she reportedly bemoaned the fact that looters and squatters continued to break into the historic 1905 Schmidt and Garden structure, regardless of the fact that at the time it was being policed by paid security guards.

Sadly, the city officially confirmed on November 4th that demolition was their ultimate plan. Shortly thereafter, with no public comment allowed, the Public Buildings Commission authorized a demolition contract at their November board meeting.

Preservationists had been concerned for some time that the continued

Old Main Hospital Photo credit: Jack Spicer willful neglect by the city, coupled with the fact that the city failed to issue a request for redevelopment proposals, would ultimately spell doom for what had been the oldest building on the campus.

landmark designation for eight brewery tied-houses and one stable does more than preserve buildings

By giving thematic designation to eight former Schiltz Brewery tied-houses and one stable, the Chicago Landmarks Commission will make it possible to protect more of the forty-one remaining tied-house structures that tell the tales of life in Chicago starting in the mid 1800s as neighborhoods were developing. This designation also helps preserve the ’s brewing industry. And, it gives another view of the impact Prohibition had locally.

The brewing industry, like other industries, had its peaks and valleys. Chicago’s Great Fire of 1871, among other things, dealt a blow to local beer production. Many of the malt houses operating along the River were destroyed as were five of the twelve breweries and the City’s water system. Milwaukee’s Schlitz brewery, after The Fire, sent trainloads of beer and drinking water into the City in the spirit of good will.

With the rebound and growth of the industry came fierce competition. The government wanted more revenues. Social pressures to regulate/obliterate alcoholic consumption were fomenting. Saloon owners increasingly requested breweries to assist in meeting the greater demands. In 1892, two large breweries combined efforts and funds to purchase existing saloons and build Schuba’s Tavern Photo credit: Stacey Pfingsten Continued on page 8

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continued from Page 7

new ones. Gradually the “tied-house” system, which originated in England a century earlier, became the new business model in Chicago.

That model put the brewer in complete control of the entire process of brewing the beer through to selling it to the customer. While many breweries were part of that movement, Schlitz, with Edward G. Uihlein in charge of Chicago operations, created fifty-seven such structures between 1897 and 1905.

The brewing industry in Chicago, with its feeder businesses, were major employers from the mid 1800s until Congress’ 18th amendment aimed at prohibiting the sale and transportation of intoxicating The Commission on Chicago liquors. Ratified on Jan. 16, 1919, Prohibition went into effect on Jan. 16, 1920. It was repealed by Landmarks voted on October 7, the 21st amendment which took effect on Dec. 5, 1933. In the meantime, people lost jobs, buildings 2010 to designate 8 historic were destroyed and fortunes lost. Schlitz’ Brewery-Tied Houses and one stable as city Landmarks. In building the Schlitz tied-houses, Uihlein used many well known architectural firms of the day. This action had been long-awaited They included Frommann & Jebsen, Charles Thisslew as well as Klay and Lang. The eight proposed by Preservation Chicago, who had buildings are 1944 N. Oakley, 1801 W. Division, 958 W. 69th St., 3159 N. Southport Ave, 5120 N. been urging the city to take Broadway, 2159 W. Belmont, 11400 S. Front Ave., 3456 S. Western Ave. and a former Schlitz Stable action on protecting these brew at 11314 S. Front Ave. pubs since the tragic 2002 demolition of this historic brew – Elaine A. Coorens pub in West Pullman.

Primary sources for this article are Preliminary Summary of Information submitted to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks in October 2010 and Wicker Park from 1673 Thru 1929 and Walking Tour Guide, by Elaine A. Coorens. Special thanks to Matt Crawford, Chicago Landmarks Staff, for his assistance with this story. S. Western Ave. and a former Schlitz Stable at 11314 S. Front Ave. of Logan Square and particularly members of Logan Square Preservation, who fought tirelessly to protect the Sachs building by supporting its inclusion in the seven-building historic commercial landmark district that was created in 2004. The landmark district not only ensures that these historic buildings will be preserved, but also that historic tax credits are available for exactly the kind of redevelopment that is currently taking place. When this project is completed next year, historic preservation will once again prove its worth in being a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization.