“Within a few days of the School of the Art Institute putting the Halsted Street home and studio of the late artist Roger Brown up for sale, preservation groups started an effort to shut down the possibility that it could be demolished.

“When the property — where Brown lived and worked for over 20 years, and which he donated to the Art Institute in 1996 — hit the market late last week, the listing agent told Crain’s potential buyers ‘may want to consider tearing it down’ and building new on the site. Her listing said the property offered ‘a rare opportunity to completely renovate or demolish the existing structure to make the land vacant and ready for development.’

“Quickly, at least three preservation groups in Chicago — Landmarks Illinois, Preservation Chicago and Preservation Futures — began campaigning to get the building either taken off the market or landmarked by the city to prohibit demolition.

“Equally quick were potential buyers, three of whom put in offers by the end of the property’s fourth day on the market, according to an email Martin Berger, provost of the School of the Art Institute, sent to at least two alumni of the school.

“School officials rejected the offer from a developer who proposed tearing the building down, according to Berger’s email, a copy of which Crain’s obtained. The other two offers were from ‘residents of the neighborhood who valued the historic building and wished to renovate it and transform it into their home,” Berger wrote. ‘We accepted one of the offers and have the other as backup should the sale not close.’ The identity of the contracted buyer has not been disclosed.

“Although reassured that demolition is not imminent, the groups and other preservationists continued to push for city landmarking.

“‘While it’s fantastic that the potential owner is planning to reuse’ the building, Frank Butterfield, chief operating officer of Landmarks Illinois, said, ‘there’s no guarantee, and we don’t know how long they will own the building. If they were to sell it in subsequent years, we want that protection (against demolition) in place. If a demolition permit were to be pulled, there would be nothing’ to stop demolition.

“The building is worth protecting from demolition because ‘this was (Brown’s) home and studio for the entirety of his mature career,’ said Susannah Ribstein, who wrote the building’s nomination to the National Register. ‘It’s where he created all the works he’s famous for in the style he’s famous for.’

“Elizabeth Blasius of Preservation Futures said the Halsted Street building is the most intact site related to the Imagists, a group of Chicago artists that emerged in the 1960s doing vivid, sometimes surreal work. The informal group included Ed Paschke, Karl Wirsum, Jim Nutt, Roger Brown and others. They were ‘one of the most important homegrown schools of 20th century art to come out of Chicago and draw attention away from New York,’ Ribstein said.

“‘We’re all fearful about the future of this building,’ said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago.” (Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 9/19/25)

Read the full story at Crain’s Chicago Business

• Preservationists rush to head off potential demolition of Roger Brown home, Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 9/19/25
• Roger Brown Home and Studio secures preliminary landmark; The 1888 home and studio building stands at 1926 N. Halsted, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 11/24/25
• ‘Incredibly important’ Imagist Roger Brown gave his collection to Chicago. How’d it end up in Wisconsin? As a new exhibition opens in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, some in the art world ponder whether the School of the Art Institute let slip a key piece of the city’s cultural history, Kyle MacMillan, WBEZ Chicago, 10/16/25
• ‘Incredibly important’ Imagist Roger Brown gave his collection to Chicago. How’d it end up in Wisconsin? As a new exhibition opens in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, some in the art world ponder whether the School of the Art Institute let slip a key piece of the city’s cultural history, Kyle MacMillan, WBEZ Chicago, 10/16/25
• Landmark the Roger Brown Home and Studio — or lose it forever, Elizabeth Blasius and Susannah Ribstein Op-Ed, Chicago Tribune, 9/19/25
• The Future of Roger Brown’s Home & Studio, Rachel Freundt, Architecture and History of Chicagoland, 9/22/25
• Can Preservationists Save Artist Roger Brown’s Former Lincoln Park Home From Demolition? The famed artist’s Halsted Street residence and studio is under contract. Advocates want the city to landmark it before its history is lost, Patrick Filbin, Block Club Chicago, 9/23/25
• Open Letter to Preserve, Don’t Demolish, The Roger Brown Home and Studio
• Roger Brown Study Collection, Time Tells, Vince Michael Blog
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago to Sell its Roger Brown Study Collection to Kohler Foundation, School of the Art Institute
• Roger Brown House, 1926 N Halsted St, Chicago Listing