The lovely historic red brick Carbit Paints Building was demolished in early January, 2018. Built around 1910, Carbit Paints Building was located at 2942 W. North Avenue, just east of Humboldt Boulevard and across from Humboldt Park. With its original red brick, arched windows and clay tile roof, the building was a “beautiful example of the craftsman buildings all around Humboldt Park,” according to Andrew Schneider, President of Logan Square Preservation.
When news of the impending demolition broke, the preservation community mounted an earnest, rapid response effort to prevent the demolition, or at least, to save the historic façade. The developer, Wilmot Properties, had little interest in considering an alternate approach to their plans. No zoning change was required and the building had no historic protections.
Though the building was never designated as a Chicago Landmark, it was considered historically significant by the National Register of Historic Places and listed as a ‘contributing building’ in both the Logan Square Boulevards National Register Historic District and the Chicago Park Boulevard System Historic District. This listing clearly established its architectural significance and importance to the surrounding National Register District.
Additionally, this building was originally included in the “Logan Square Boulevards Chicago Landmark District” that would have provided protection against demolition, but the final Landmark District boundaries were adjusted to more closely conform to arbitrary aldermanic ward boundaries which left the Carbit Paint Building without the protection it deserved.