Located at 6300 S. Cottage Grove, the Washington Park National Bank Building was constructed in 1924 by architect Albert Schwartz. The building’s elegant Bedford Indiana limestone façade includes Corinthian pilasters, a projecting cornice and decorative parapet, The historic Washington Park National Bank name is chiseled into the limestone entablature. Unfortunately, the Washington Park National Bank Building has no Landmark protection against demolition.
Under the leadership of Executive Director Rob Rose, the Cook County Land Bank Authority partnered with Metropolitan Planning Council to facilitate a three-part, community-led redevelopment process of the Washington Park National Bank Building to generate community input into how the building should be repurposed. The Cook County Land Bank Authority released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to seek developers to explore redevelopment proposals for the Washington Park National Bank. The deadline to submit a proposal was October 31, 2018. No decision had yet been announced.
Preservation Chicago applauds the Cook County Land Bank Authority and Metropolitan Planning Council for coordinating and facilitating the workshop and RFP process to catalyze the redevelopment of this historic building. The Washington Park National Bank Building is an important neighborhood anchor on a commercial corridor that has seen the tragic loss of many important building. It is it essential for the long-term reinvestment and prosperity of this commercial district that this historic building be preserved and redeveloped.