“After years of efforts by preservationists, the federal government has decided to spare a pair of century-old Loop skyscrapers from the wrecking ball in favor of adaptive reuse.
“The vacant Century and Consumers buildings in the 200 block of South State Street, the last vestiges of the Chicago School of Architecture, will not be demolished as planned, according to the General Services Administration, which manages the government-owned buildings.
“In its final environmental impact statement, released last week, the GSA recommended the federal government lease the buildings for redevelopment, but with a lengthy list of restrictions on the use to protect security at the adjacent Dirksen U.S. Courthouse.
“‘It’s huge,’ said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago. ‘We are really grateful to the GSA and the federal officials …for considering other options than demolition for these two really important buildings.’
“The GSA’s 15 restrictions ostensibly prohibit everything from residential use to sight lines into the Dirksen Courthouse, but leave the door open to exceptions for proposals ‘that demonstrate the financial capability’ of the developer to ‘successfully execute,’ according to the statement.
“The government acquired the buildings in 2007 as a buffer and potential office expansion for the courthouse. But in 2022, legislators approved $52 million to tear down the buildings after a proposal for a $141 million mixed-used redevelopment was shot down over security concerns raised by neighboring federal judges.
“‘This could have set a dangerous precedent across the nation for any structure that was too close to a federal courthouse or any federal building that the GSA could have taken it under eminent domain and demolished it,” Miller said.
“The early skyscrapers have topped Preservation Chicago’s annual list of the city’s seven most endangered buildings for three years running.
“Completed in 1915, the 16-story Century Building at 202 S. State St. was designed by Holabird & Roche, a pioneering Chicago architecture firm that built a number of prominent commercial high-rises. The 22-story Consumers Building at 220 S. State St. was completed in 1913 and designed by Jenney, Mundie & Jensen. Lead architect William Le Baron Jenney is credited as building the first modern skyscraper, the nearby Home Insurance Building, in 1885.
“Preservation Chicago has been pushing for an adaptive reuse of the buildings as a collaborative national archives center, but remains open to other alternatives that restore and preserve the historic skyscrapers.
“‘I think this could be a mixed-use development with an archive center as part of it,’ Miller said. ‘It could be an archive center exclusively. There may be some possibilities for residential, which would normally be the most logical solution if we didn’t have the Dirksen Federal Center directly behind and if we didn’t have these 15 requirements.’
“The GSA, which manages government-owned buildings, held a series of public meetings to solicit input and determine the fate of the decaying Century and Consumers buildings. At the same time, it began some demolition in and around the site.
“But local advocacy groups have rallied national and international support for preserving the buildings. In June, Sara Bronin, chair of the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, wrote an op-ed in the Tribune imploring “we cannot let these buildings fall” as planned.
“‘It troubles me to think that in Chicago, the very city that invented the skyscraper, the best that government can offer is to tear it all down,’ Bronin wrote.
“Miller said Bronin’s influential opinion came out at a “critical time” in the GSA review process, perhaps turning the tide in favor of preservation of the Century and Consumers buildings.
“Last year, the buildings received a final landmark recommendation from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, but have yet to get the full designation from the City Council. That may not be necessary to save them in the wake of the GSA’s finding in favor of adaptive reuse.
“The GSA will publish a record of decision within 30 days, concluding the environmental review process and formally issuing what amounts to a long-sought reprieve for the historic buildings.
“Miller said there’s still work to do, including finding an adaptive reuse that attracts developers while protecting the security of the courthouse. No less important will be preserving the structures, which continue to deteriorate after nearly two decades of federal ownership.
“‘We’re hoping the remaining $45 million of this demolition earmark could be invested in the terra cotta and the exterior cladding and roof structures, along with the windows,’ Miller said. ‘I think at a minimum, the GSA and federal government could help with restoring some of these features of the exterior that have languished for so long, almost 20 years, under their ownership.’ (Channick, Chicago Tribune, 8/5/24)
“A developer investing in the Loop’s revival said he’s interested in working with the federal government to refurbish century-old State Street skyscrapers that previously were earmarked for demolition.
“Quintin Primo III said he ‘absolutely’ will respond when the General Services Administration, which manages federal property, officially seeks proposals to renovate the towers at 202 and 220 S. State St.
“‘These are two historic buildings that should be reinvigorated and not demolished,’ Primo, founder and executive chairman of Capri Investment Group, said.
“He favors preservationists’ suggestion that the buildings become an archives center for nonprofit and religious groups but said that other uses should be considered.
“‘We don’t want the buildings dormant. We want them active and, in a perfect world, educational as well,” he said. Space could be used for classrooms and the ground level should be for retail, in keeping with State Street’s character, Primo said.” (Roeder, Chicago Sun-Times, 8/16/24)
Preservation Chicago has been actively advocating to save the Century and Consumers Buildings since they first became a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2011. Due to urgent threats, they were Chicago 7 Most Endangered for five years including in 2011, 2013, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Preservation Chicago’s advocacy catalyzed the City of Chicago to issue a 2017 Request for Proposals which resulted in the $141 Million adaptive reuse proposal from CA Ventures, a highly-capable Chicago development team, to convert the buildings into approximately 500 residential apartments.
After the adaptive reuse plan was blocked in 2019 due to security concerns, Preservation Chicago began the process to generate a viable adaptive reuse plan the exceeded all of the security requirements. The archive center creative solution stemmed from the preference of archives for solid walls over windows to prevent the sun’s ultraviolet light from degrading the archival materials.
By 2022 and extensive organizing efforts, the Chicago Collaborative Archive Center represented over 20 independent archives, most of which would permanently relocate to Chicago to participate. Shortly before the large press event to publicly introduce the Chicago Collaborative Archive Center, news broke of the $52 million federal earmark specifically for demolition that had been quietly included in a large federal spending bill.
Despite the seemingly impossible challenge of reserving the decision of the federal government, Preservation Chicago immediately began to mount a advocacy effort to save the Century and Consumers buildings. It became a Preservation Chicago 2022 Chicago 7 Most Endangered to raise awareness, shape the narrative and mobilize stakeholder support. We launched an online petition that generated approximately 25,000 signatures. A online video about the issue received approximately 1.5 million views. Century and Consumers has generated hundreds of news articles and seven Chicago Sun-Times editorials opposing demolition. Preservation Chicago has attended and spoken out in support of adaptive reuse at each and every of the dozens of pubic meeting during this long process.
A primary goal was to create a Chicago Landmark Designation for the Century and Consumers buildings. The buildings we’re clearly landmark eligible, but a Chicago Landmark Designation which directly challenged the federal government’s push for demolition required strong leadership from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, and City of Chicago DPD Landmarks Division staff, and City of Chicago’s elected officials. We worked to create broad support local support for adaptive reuse and opposition to demolition to allow this support to emerge and the significant progress towards Chicago Landmark Designation which has occurred.
Many preservation partners have worked side-by-side to advance the advocacy effort to save the Century and Consumers buildings including the Chicago Collaborative Archive Center, Landmarks Illinois, Chicago Architecture Center, Preservation Futures, Chicago Loop Alliance, National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and many individuals.
Much work remains until the Century and Consumers buildings are protected, restored, and reactivated, but the decision of the GSA to consider adaptive reuse is a major and positive new development in this lengthy advocacy effort.
Read the full story at the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times
- Federal government spares century-old State Street skyscrapers from demolition, Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 8/5/24
- WATCH: Loop Buildings Spared, Ward Miller interviewed by Paris Schutz regarding the Century and Consumers Buildings, Paris on Politics, FOX 32 Chicago, 8/10/24
- Century-old Loop skyscrapers to be preserved, federal agency decides: A series of public meetings have been held to discuss alternatives for the buildings, which are on the National Register of Historic Places, Kade Heather, Chicago Sun-Times / WBEZ Chicago, 8/2/24
- Decayed State Street towers attract interest from Chicago developer betting on Loop turnaround, Quintin Primo III of Capri Investment Group said he will respond when the federal government publishes a call for lease ideas for the buildings at 202 and 220 S. State St., David Roeder, Chicago Sun-Times, 8/16/24
- Savior of Thompson Center, Cboe buildings eyes historic State Street pair now, Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 8/16/24
- Historical State Street Skyscrapers To Be Preserved After Feds Opt Against Demolition; The federal government considered demolishing the Century and Consumers buildings to boost security at the neighboring Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Charles Thrush, Block Club Chicago, 8/5/24
- Century and Consumers Buildings will be saved from demolition; The GSA has opted to not demolish the buildings and look for a “viable” reuse, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 8/6/24
- Historic Chicago Skyscrapers Once Facing Demolition Set for Preservation, Reuse Under Federal Plan, Nick Blumberg, WTTW Chicago, 8/5/24
- Century-old State Street skyscrapers have been saved, John Landecker / Ashley Bihun, WGN Radio 720 Chicago, 8/5/24 Interview with Ward Miller / Preservation Chicago
- Historic Century and Consumers buildings in downtown Chicago won’t be demolished, Adam Harrington and David Gold, CBS News Chicago, 8/5/24
- Preservation plan for 3 Loop skyscrapers, The federal government decided to reuse the vacant buildings at 202, 214 and 220 South State Street, Fox 32 Chicago, 8/5/24
- Historic Loop buildings saved from demolition in feds’ reversal, U.S. General Services Administration opted to repurpose Century and Consumers buildings despite previous worries over proximity to federal building, The Real Deal Staff, The Real Deal, 8/5/24
- Federal government decides to preserve 2 buildings in the Loop slated to be demolished, Mike Krauser WBBM News Radio 780 AM, 8/4/24
- Historic State Street buildings to avoid the wrecking ball, Danny Ecker, Crain’s Chicago Business, 8/5/24
- GSA opts to preserve Century & Consumer Buildings in Chicago, saving them from demolition, Daniel Jonas Roche, The Architect’s Newspaper, 8/5/24
- Century-old State Street skyscrapers hit top ranking on list of most endangered Chicago buildings
Preservation Chicago’s annual list starts with two early 20th century towers on State Street, holdovers from prior lists, and includes neighborhood sites with architectural or historic interest, David Roeder, Chicago Sun-Times, 3/6/24 - Chicago preservationists just saved two landmark early skyscrapers from the GSA wrecking ball, Josh Niland, Archinect, 8/5/24
- Today In Culture, Monday, August 5, 2024: Century And Consumers Buildings Saved, Ray Pride, NewCity, 8/5/24
- Century-Old State Street Buildings in Chicago Avoid Demolition, Jasmine Kilman, Connect CRE, 8/6/24
- Federal government spares century-old State Street skyscrapers from demolition, Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune / Yahoo News, 8/5/24
- Federal government spares century-old State Street skyscrapers from demolition, Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune / AOL News, 8/5/24
- Federal Government Chooses to Preserve Historic Chicago Skyscrapers, Foregoing Demolition Plans, Damon R. Sheffield, Hoodline Chicago, 8/5/24