“The Commission on Chicago Landmarks honored eight successful development projects and seven advocacy leaders at the 2022 Preservation Excellence Awards.
“The projects included the restored Grand Army of the Republic rooms at the Chicago Cultural Center in the Loop, the rehabilitated Lion House at the Lincoln Park Zoo, and a restored home in the Claremont Cottage District on the Near West Side.
“The Preservation Excellence awards have been presented annually since 1999 to individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and public bodies that have significantly contributed to Chicago’s architectural and cultural history. The Landmarks Commission’s Permit Review Committee reviewed and selected the winners over the past year.
“‘Today’s event highlights the owners who act as good stewards of our existing landmark properties, the advocates who push for local protections, and the citizens who take it upon themselves to care for archived records of memory that others might have overlooked,’ said Commissioner Maurice Cox of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), which provides staff services to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks.”
“The 2022 winners include:
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Grand Army of the Republic Rooms
Recipient: City of Chicago
The award recognizes restoration work to the Grand Army of the Republic Rooms that date to the Cultural Center’s construction in 1897, including a 40-foot dome containing 62,000 pieces of stained glass.
226 W. Jackson Boulevard, Chicago and Northwestern Railway Office Building
Recipient: Phoenix Development Partners
The adaptive reuse of of the former railway headquarters into a pair of hotels preserved and repaired the building’s historic windows and granite and terra cotta masonry units.
Lincoln Park Zoo Lion House
Recipient: Lincoln Park Zoo
Recently completed improvements to the 110-year-old Lincoln Park zoo facility include new lion habitats, outdoor viewing shelters, new animal care facilities, and meeting and event spaces.
‘Minnekirken’ Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, 2612 N. Kedzie Ave., Logan Square Boulevards District
Recipient: Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church
Partly funded through an Adopt-A-Landmarks grant, recent exterior masonry repairs to the 110-year-old church included rebuilt piers, face brick replacement and tuckpointing.
1025 S. Claremont Ave., Claremont Cottage District
Recipient: Vista Group Real Estate
The restored 1884 workers cottage includes a remodeled interior to meet modern needs and a skillfully restored exterior that preserves the late 1800s character of the 19-building Claremont Cottage landmark district.
Bronzeville Historical Society Members; Nettie Nesbary, Lettie Sabbs, Lauran Bibbs, Doris Morton, and Sylvia Rogers
The advocacy award is being share by five women who, over several years, created a 120,000-person database of noted Black Chicagoans that is organized by name, birth date, birthplace, next of kin, and burial location.
Lisa DiChiera, Emeritus Advocacy Director of Landmarks Illinois
The advocacy award recognizes Lisa DiChiera’s 22-year commitment to local preservation issues as the advocacy director of Landmarks Illinois, where she helped support and lead multiple successful preservation efforts across the state.
Tim Samuelson, City of Chicago Cultural Historian Emeritus
The John Baird Award for Stewardship recognizes Tim Samuelson for his expertise on Chicago’s African American heritage and the City’s legacy of progressive architecture, including the work of architects Pond & Pond, Bruce Goff, and affordable housing designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
