The Demolition Delay Ordinance, adopted by City Council in 2003, establishes a hold of up to 90 days in the issuance of any demolition permit for certain historic buildings in order that the Department of Planning and Development can explore options, as appropriate, to preserve the building, including but not limited to Landmark designation.
The ordinance applies to buildings rated red and orange in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey (CHRS), but it should be modified to include all buildings included in the survey. These buildings are designated on the city’s zoning map. The delay period starts at the time the permit application is presented to the department’s Historic Preservation Division offices and can be extended beyond the original 90 days by mutual agreement with the applicant. The purpose of the ordinance is to ensure that no important historic resource can be demolished without consideration as to whether it should and can be preserved.
Preservation Chicago is advocating to extend the existing Demolition Delay Ordinance to at least 180 days or longer, in order to create the time community members, stakeholders, decision makers, and elected officials need to conduct robust discussions regarding the fate of these historic buildings and irreplaceable Chicago assets. The support of the Mayor and City Council is necessary to advance this effort.
Additional Reading
City of Chicago Demolition Delay Hold List (2021)
Address: 2028 N. Seminary Ave., Lincoln Park
#100945948
Date Received: 10/26/2021
Ward: 43rd Ald. Michele Smith
Applicant: Quality Excavation Inc. C/O Anne Quinn
Owner: Patrick Nash
Permit Description: Wreck and removal of the three-story, masonry residential building and a frame garage.
Status: Under Review
Address: 3849 N. Hermitage Ave., Lake View
#100945235
Date Received: 10/22/2021
Ward: 47th Ald. Matt Martin
Applicant: Precision Excavation, LLC C/O Angela Dillon
Owner: Angelico Two Series 3849, LLC C/O Jay I. Hausler
Permit Description: wreck and removal of a two-story, masonry and frame, multi-family residential building.
Status: Under Review
Address: 5688 N. New Hampshire Ave., Norwood Park
#100937432
Date Received: 10/15/2021
Ward: 41st Ald. Anthony Napolitano
Applicant: Dan Durkin
Owner: Nicholas W. Degnan
Permit Description: Substantial demolition, alteration and expansion of the two-story frame, single-family building.
Status: Under Review
Address: 2622 N. Dayton St., Lincoln Park
#100943432
Date Received: 10/08/2021
Ward: 43rd Ward Ald. Michele Smith
Applicant: Tir Conaill Concrete, Inc. C/O Charlotte McVeigh
Owner: David Hansen
Permit Description: Wreck and removal of a single-family, frame residential building and garage.
Status: Under Review
Address: 17 S. Oakley Boulevard, Near West Side
#100934954
Date Received: 10/01/2021
Ward: 27th Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr.
Applicant: Thomas Montgomery
Owner: Sam Brashler
Permit Description: Wreck and removal of the existing roof structure on a two-story, masonry residential building, to accommodate the construction of a new rooftop addition
Status: Under Review
Address: 2114 N. Lincoln Ave., Lincoln Park
#100937432
Date Received: 10/01/2021
Ward: 43rd Ald. Michele Smith
Applicant: JAR Corp.
Owner: Frederic Boyer
Permit Description: Partial demolition to accommodate third floor additions and a side addition.
Status: Released 10/12/2021 (Based on a revised submittal retaining significant architectural features.)
Address: 4323 N. Paulina St., Ravenswood
#100941425
Date Received: 09/29/2021
Ward: 47th Ward Ald. Matt Martin
Applicant: American Demolition Corporation
Owner: GXSR, LLC C/O Josephine Cronnolly and Thomas Taylor, Managers
Permit Description: Demolition of a two-story, frame, single-family residential building.
Status: Under Review
Address: Commonwealth Edison Substation, by Hermann von Holst, 747-751 W. 82nd St., Auburn Gresham
#100937610
Date Received: 08/31/2021
Ward: 21st Ward Ald. Howard B. Brookins Jr.
Applicant: Alpine Demolition Services, LLC
Owner: Commonwealth Edison Company C/O Leon Guaquil
Permit Description: Demolition of a 1-story, masonry substation building Fieldhouse for the
Status: Under Review
Address: Salerno Cookie Factory, 4450 and 4500 W. Division St., Humboldt Park
#100930920
Date Received: 07/15/2021
Ward: 37th Ward Ald. Emma Mitts
Applicant: American Demolition Corporation
Owner: Amazon.com Services LLC
Permit Description: Demolition of buildings.
Status: Released 10/15/2021
NOTE: Most of the Art Deco Salerno Cookie Factory, including everything in the photo below, was demolished in 2015 after being released early, without explanation, nine days into its 90-Day Demolition Delay.
“An Art Deco-era factory that has long anchored a stretch of Division Street in Humboldt Park is currently being demolished. According to preservationists, the building that spans from 4422 to 4500 West Division Street was listed on the city’s 90 day demolition delay list, but was released before that period had been reached.
“The sprawling factory was once home to the Salerno Butter Cookie company, and similar to the old Wrigley Gum Factory and the Brach Candy Factory which have also been demolished in the last couple of years, helped make Chicago the ‘Candy Capital of the World.’ In a joint statement, Preservation Chicago’s Ward Miller and Andrew Schneider reveal that preservationists were not made aware of the situation until it was too late.
“‘The former Salerno Cookie Factory, home of that familiar and delicious butter cookie, at 4500 W. Division, an orange-rated building, has apparently been cleared for demolition, despite the fact that it is a rare example of famed architect Harold Zook in an industrial context,’ Miller and Schneider state.
“‘The building appeared on the city’s mandatory demolition delay hold list, that typically requires buildings of significant architectural merit to be held for 90 days. That doesn’t appear to have happened in this case. The application to demolish the building was received by the city on June 29 and was released little more than one week later, on July 8, 2015.’
“In addition, Miller says that there has been no word on why the city did not allow the full demolition delay hold to complete its cycle.
“The building is certainly a unique example of Chicago’s history of a confection capital but also of striking Art Deco design of Harold Zook. After the Salerno company left the factory behind, the building was home to a graphic imaging company and then later a small parts supplier. While demolition has started on the factory, Miller hopes that the main entrance will be preserved and readapted.” (LaTrace, Curbed Chicago, 7/24/15)
Address: 1851 and 1853 N. Leavitt Street, Bucktown
#100913335 and #100929919
Date Received: 07/13/2021
Ward: 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack
Applicant: Evergreen Solution USA Inc.
Owner: 1853-51 N. Leavitt LLC
Permit Description: Wreck and remove a 2-story masonry multi-unit residence.
Status: Released 10/12/2021
Address: 940 W. Cuyler Avenue, Buena Park
#100926339
Date Received: 06/10/2021
Ward: 46th Ward Ald. James Cappleman
Applicant: Taylor Excavating & Construction, Inc.
Owner: 940 West Cuyler, LLC C/O Josephine Cronnolly
Permit Description: Demolition of a 2-story, 4-unit masonry residence and detached garage.
Status: Released 9/9/2021
