“The former Chicago Daily News Building is among the city’s best examples of Art Deco architecture, a big beautiful sculpted slab of limestone that has been a superlative study in detail, material, function and form for almost 100 years. The building is a city landmark in every sense of the word.
“The historic Daily News Building is not a protected city landmark. That means it — along with its remarkable river edge plaza and its still-intact Art Deco lobby — are not safe from being razed and replaced.
“And that matters now. The 26-story building, better known as 2 N. Riverside, has been put up sale by the late real estate mogul Sam Zell’s estate.
“It might be hard to believe this building and plaza could come down in favor of a tall, new, Wolf Point-style office tower — and there appear to be no current plans to do so.
“But this is still Chicago. And the right deal can make virtually anything possible.
“The structure was built over an active rail yard, becoming the first in the U.S. to be built on air rights.
“But if demolition seems improbable, think again. Zell himself also wanted to replace the Daily News Building with a new tower back in 2000 until Mayor Richard M. Daley put the kibosh on the plan.
“Zell came back in 2008 with a bid to shoehorn a new skyscraper next to the historic building, obliterating that marvelous and historic plaza.
“The groups Landmarks Illinois and Preservation Chicago have pushed for landmark designation for the Daily News Building since 2008.
“Fortunately, the building is among the relatively few Chicago structures rated “red” — the highest — in the city’s Historic Resources Survey.
“And since 2003, any demo or construction permit pulled on a red- or orange-rated building triggers an automatic review to determine if preliminary landmark status should be granted.
“But in a city that takes its architecture seriously, it shouldn’t take the out-and-out threat of a demolition to finally start figuring out if the Daily News Building is a landmark worthy of protection.” (Bey, Chicago Sun-Times, 11/29/24)
Read the full story at the Chicago Sun-Times
- Former Chicago Daily News Building, now for sale, deserves landmark protection; It might be hard to believe this unique Art Deco building and plaza could be wrecked and replaced with a shiny new and significantly taller Wolf Point-style office tower — and there appears to be no current plans to do so. But this is still Chicago. And the right deal can make virtually anything possible, Lee Bey, Chicago Sun-Times, 11/29/24
- News mural held hostage by dueling interests, Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune, 8/15/04
- Fables of the Reconstruction; We had our very own Sistine Chapel, with a 180-foot mural by an important 20th-century artist. So why is this landmark painting languishing in a warehouse? Jeff Huebner, Chicago Reader, 2/27/1997
- Art Deco Treasure Chest: Daily News Building, John Morris, Chicago Patterns, 4/28/15