“A Pullman church, a Kenwood synagogue and two homes associated with the Great Migration of Black Americans to Chicago are among 12 recipients that are tentatively selected for Adopt-A-Landmark grants, Department of Planning and Development (DPD), Commissioner Maurice Cox announced today.
“Valued at more than $4.3 million, the tentative grant awards are the largest to be allocated in support of planned restoration projects since the Adopt-A-Landmark program debuted in 2016.
“‘Under the leadership of Mayor Lightfoot, this round of grant awards is focusing on neighborhood-scale buildings and structures that help define who we are as a city,’ Commissioner Cox said. ‘Whether it’s for a house of worship, a corner commercial building, or a neighborhood tavern, the grants will help preserve these structures for generations of neighborhood residents to come.’
“Financed by downtown construction projects through the Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus system, the awards are made available to individual Landmarks and Landmark District buildings on an annual basis. The awardees include:
- Greenstone United Methodist Church in the Pullman District, 11211 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Pullman — $1.08 million
- Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, 4501 S. Vincennes Ave., Grand Boulevard — $900,000
- Second Presbyterian Church, 1936 S. Michigan Ave., Near South Side — $250,000
- Muddy Waters House, 4339 S. Lake Park Ave., Kenwood — $250,000
- Gunnison Street Lofts in the Uptown Square District, 1215 W. Gunnison St., Uptown — $250,000
- Stone Temple Baptist Church, 3622 W. Douglas Blvd., North Lawndale — $250,000
- K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temple, 5039 S. Greenwood Ave., Kenwood — $250,000
- 6901 S. Oglesby Cooperative Apartment Building, South Shore — $249,999
- Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley House, 6427 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Woodlawn — $249,541
- Pentecostal Church of Holiness, 4208 W. 15th St., North Lawndale — $248,000
- Former Schlitz Brewery-Tied House, 9401 S. Ewing Ave., East Side — 243,260
- John J. Glessner House, 1800 S. Prairie Ave., Near South Side — $100,000
“The selected recipients and their respective projects will be subject to additional review and approval by the Commission’s Permit Review Committee and the full Landmarks Commission. Grants that exceed $250,000 will also require review and approval by City Council.
“The 12 projects were selected from 16 applications received by DPD staff this summer. Awards were determined based on project viability, neighborhood needs, project scope, and other factors.
“Previous projects recommended for Adopt-a-Landmark grants include the On Leong Merchants Association in Chinatown, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church in Logan Square, and an artist loft development in Pullman.” (City of Chicago, 11/22/21)
Preservation Chicago is thrilled by this news. We assisted in the landmark designation of several of these properties and advocated for others over a period of many years. Over the years, we have worked closely with man of the property owners and stakeholders with Chicago Landmark designation and supported them throughout the process. During landmark designation process, we organize community and decisionmaker support. We provided testimony in support of designation, and in some instances, even provided the research and writing for the Landmark Designation Report.
While we do everything we can to support property owners and stakeholders, the awarding of Adopt-a-Landmark grants is the responsibility of the City of Chicago. We fully support this important source of restoration funding for designated Chicago Landmarks. We strongly applaud the City of Chicago for increasing the total number of grants and total dollars awarded. These are essential funds to support some of Chicago’s most cherished Landmarks. We encourage the City of Chicago to increase the funding eligible for Adopt-a-Landmark grants and to continue to increase Adopt-a-Landmark grants in the years to come.