“Barely a month after being named to Preservation Chicago’s annual list of the city’s ‘most endangered’ buildings, the Warehouse — aka, the ‘birthplace’ of House music — is on its way to becoming an official Chicago landmark.
“A monumental show of support from ‘Househeads’ around the world brought the building at 206 S. Jefferson Ave. to the attention of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, which unanimously approved preliminary landmark status for the Warehouse on Thursday.
“‘What a magical place,’ said Commissioner Tiara Hughes. ‘The cultural significance here is just mind-blowing.’
“Though it’s the building’s exterior that will be landmarked, it’s what went on inside the modest three-story structure that’s notable.
“The Warehouse opened in 1977, conceived as Chicago’s answer to New York City’s club scene. Owner Robert Williams recruited DJ Frankie Knuckles to make the move from the Big Apple to the Windy City, and the rest is history.
“Picking up elements of disco, soul, jazz, funk and gospel, and adding beats, Knuckles invented what came to be known as House music — “House” a reference to the Warehouse.
“‘We didn’t know what we were witnessing,’ said Joe Shanahan, owner of the Metro and Smart Bar, who gravitated to the Warehouse in its heyday. ‘Frankie was creating an entirely new genre … a DJ who was shifting culture.’
“‘It’s hard to overstate the influence of the Warehouse and Knuckles,’ said Matt Crawford of the Department of Planning and Development, who prepared the landmark report.
“The Warehouse closed in 1982 and the building fell off the radar until it was recently sold, with the real estate listing referencing a “development” opportunity.
“It was that specter of demolition that led people like Michael Ball, who works in artist relations and runs a music studio, to rush to defend what he told the commission was like ‘the Vatican, the Mecca of House music.’
“Avi Kamionski, an attorney, is one of the new owners and he assured the landmark commission that there’s no intent to tear down the building. The plan is to do an interior ‘refresh’ and use it for office space, including for his own legal practice. The appeal of the building, Kamionski said, is its location opposite his alma mater, the Kent College of Law.
“‘We’d like to work with the commission on this issue,’ he said. ‘It’s cool to hear about all the history of the building.’
“While the perceived threat to the building’s existence may have been a false alarm, the attention Preservation Chicago brought to an overlooked piece of the city’s history was long overdue.
“‘The Warehouse is that perfect Chicago story. Now is the time to honor Knuckles and House sound,’ said Max Chavez, Preservation Chicago’s director of research and special projects.
“DJ Celeste Alexander, who counts Knuckles as one of her mentors, said Chicago is known around the world as the birthplace of House, but ‘we do not have a building, a place to give a starting point of its origin. The history of House music and culture should have a designation where people can see where it all began.'” (Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 4/13/23)
- The ‘Birthplace’ of House Music is on Its Way to Becoming a Chicago Landmark; Patty Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 4/13/23
- Chicago’s legendary nightclub “The Warehouse” was granted preliminary landmark status. Interview with Max Chavez, Preservation Chicago Director of Research and Special Projects. The Week, Telekom Electronic Beats Podcast (11 min) on Spotify
- Chicago’s legendary nightclub “The Warehouse” was granted preliminary landmark status. Interview with Max Chavez, Preservation Chicago Director of Research and Special Projects. The Week, Telekom Electronic Beats Podcast (11 min) on Apple Podcasts
- The Warehouse, Birthplace Of House Music, Takes Key Step Toward Becoming A Chicago Landmark; The three-story industrial building once housed a dance club that featured the legendary DJ Frankie Knuckles. Owners Thursday said they have no plans to demolish the building, Melody Mercado, Block Club Chicago, 4/13/23
- Petition in works to gain landmark status for site where DJ legend Frankie Knuckles made ‘house music’ popular, Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 4/8/23
- 425 of pages of comments in support of landmarking the Warehouse submitted for the Commission on Chicago Landmarks hearing
- CBS Interview: The Warehouse in West Loop is one step closer to becoming a Chicago landmark, Mikayla Price, CBS Chicago, 4/14/23
- The Warehouse gets preliminary landmark, The site was the birthplace of House music, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 4/19/23
- ‘Birthplace’ of house music to become a Chicago landmark, Andrew Davis, Windy City Times, 4/19/23
- Chicago & House Music: A relationship over four decades in the making, Peter Curi, WGN 9 Chicago, 4/14/23
- Chicago Officials Vote to Grant Legendary Venue the Warehouse Landmark Protection; All seven Commission panel members voted in favour of proposals put forward in a petition last month, which would save building from demolition, Isaac Muk, MixMag, 4/14/23
- Campaigners have been fighting to prevent the building’s demolition. Anu Shukla, Resident Advisor, 4/13/23
- The Warehouse OK’d for preliminary landmark status, It was unanimous and if everything goes right The Warehouse will soon have landmark status in the city of Chicago…, Terry Matthew, 5 Magazine, 4/14/23
- PETITION: Save the Warehouse! Landmark the Building Where DJ Frankie Knuckles Created House Music
- The Warehouse, legendary former West Loop dance hall, granted preliminary landmark recommendation, Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 4/13/23
- The Warehouse, a Preservation Chicago 2023 Chicago 7 Most Endangered
- Preservation Chicago names The Warehouse, the birthplace of house music, as one of the most endangered buildings in Chicago, Zach Mortice, The Architect’s Newspaper, 3/21/23
- Birthplace of house music, could be demolished in Chicago’s West Loop, Marissa Perlman, CBS 2 Chicago, 3/21/23
- Effort Underway to Designate Former ‘Warehouse’ Nightclub a Chicago Historical Landmark; The site is where famed DJ and producer Frankie Knuckles is widely credited with creating the House music genre, Kate Chappell, NBC 5 Chicago, 3/21/23
- Effort Underway to Designate Former ‘Warehouse’ Nightclub a Chicago Historical Landmark; The site is where famed DJ and producer Frankie Knuckles is widely credited with creating the House music genre, Kate Chappell, NBC 5 Chicago, 3/21/23
- House music’s birthplace in Chicago’s West Loop at risk of demolition, Ruth Johnson, The Columbia Chronicle, 3/31/23
- ‘We must do something’: Chicago building once home to The Warehouse at risk of demolition, Anu Shukla, Resident Advisor, 3/17/23
- Petition launched to save “birthplace of house music”, The Warehouse; “Despite its extraordinary role in music and cultural history, the Warehouse has ZERO protections against alterations or demolition”, Arusa Qureshi, NME, 3/16/23
- Birthplace of House music should be historical landmark, Chicago nonprofit says, Rachel Pierson, WBBM Radio, 3/22/23
- WBEZ’s Curious City explores the history of Chicago’s disco scene, Won’t you take me to Funkytown? Michael Liptrot, Reset, WBEZ Chicago, 3/24/23
- Save The Warehouse! petition launched to protect birthplace of house music; The now-closed club was where Frankie Knuckles pioneered the development of house music as a resident, Christian Eede, DJ Magazine, 3/15/23
- A petition has been launched to save Chicago’s The Warehouse, the birthplace of house music, Crack Staff, 3/17/23
- Petition Launched to Save Birthplace of House Music, Chicago Nightclub, The Warehouse; Save The Warehouse! aims to protect the nightclub where Frankie Knuckles established the genre, Becky Buckle, Mix Mag, 3/16/23
- Petition Rallies House Music Fans to Protect Frankie Knuckles’ Chicago Venue, the Warehouse, Global Dance Electronic, 3/31/23
- The Warehouse: The place house music got its name, Jacob Arnold, Resident Advisor, 5/16/12
- What Was It Like To Dance At The Warehouse Club In Chicago? Olivia Richardson, WBEZ Chicago, 1/12/19