“Hyde Park neighbors who have for 25 years pushed to preserve Promontory Point’s beloved limestone steps amid much-needed repairs have unveiled new design proposals for doing just that — and are asking local leaders to adopt them.

“The nonprofit Promontory Point Conservancy on Tuesday released design proposals for federal and city agencies to consider as they strengthen the lakefront park against wave and storm damage. The conservancy also shared a study of the Point’s ability to withstand Lake Michigan’s waves, as well as a ‘master plan’ for preserving the park’s historic features.

“‘All three reports agree with our consistent, strong message: The limestone revetment has not failed, and can be retained and repaired,’ said Jorge Sanchez, the conservancy’s vice president. “There are multiple preservation design alternatives that meet [federal and city] requirements for storm damage and shoreline protection, while keeping the fabric of the historic structure in place.’

“The total cost of reinforcing Promontory Point would be between $56 and $93 million, depending on which combination of the conservancy’s proposals was ultimately used, the report found. The resiliency study builds on a report released by the conservancy last year, which found the Point’s iconic limestone is still protecting the lakefront and can be preserved.

“The plan for historic features documents the Point’s history since its construction in the 1930s and found the park should be “rehabilitated” under federal standards for historic properties. In this case, a ‘rehab’ means the Point can be repaired or modified to adapt to its users’ changing needs — such as reinforcing the shoreline or improving accessibility — while retaining its ‘historic character.’

“The design proposals and resiliency study were done by the McLaren Engineering Group, while the historic features master plan was completed by Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates. The studies were funded by nearly $300,000 in community donations, as well as more than $130,000 in grants from local preservation groups.

“Former Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th), a vocal ally of the conservancy since the early 2000s, on Tuesday praised neighbors who have invested “money and our own individual time” toward the growing body of research that supports preserving the limestone. ‘We have had to form a conservancy, and we continue to advocate for our community,’ Hairston said. ‘Some of our elected officials may not think that this is important … but it is important to us.’

“The conservancy will hold six public meetings over the next few months to gather feedback on its designs:

10 a.m. Jan. 22 in Hyde Park at the Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West
6:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in Woodlawn at the Experimental Station, 6100 S. Blackstone Ave.
6:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in Kenwood at the Ancona School, 4770 S. Dorchester Ave.
6:30 p.m. March 6 in Hyde Park at Vista Homes, 5840 S. Stony Island Ave.
6:30 p.m. March 19 in Hyde Park at the University of Chicago Community Meeting Room, 6021 S. Kimbark Ave.
7:30 p.m. April 8 on Zoom

“The proposals are flexible, as ‘there are lots of good ways to preserve the limestone revetment,’ Promontory Point Conservancy president Jack Spicer said. ‘We want your ideas and thoughts about how to do that the best.’

“‘It’s a Chicago treasure,’ says Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, who grew up wading in the lake, jumping on the limestone, and lounging in the sun with his dog. ‘It’s one of the last vestiges of stonework and easy access into the water. I think it’s kind of legendary.’ (Lane, Chicago Reader, 3/20/24)

Preservation Chicago applauds the Promontory Point Conservancy for their dedicated advocacy effort to ‘Save the Point”. Preservation Chicago has been working closely with the Promontory Point Conservancy to request to the Chicago Commission on Landmarks to designate Promontory Point as a Designated Chicago Landmark. Promontory Point Conservancy is responsible for the extensive report by preservation consultant Julia Bachrach detailing the historical significance of the Point which clearly established the need for Chicago Landmark designation.

There has been strong support for saving the Point from elected officials including Alderman Leslie Hairston, Cook County Commissioner William Lowry, State Representative Curtis Tarver, State Senator Robert Peters, and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly. Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued a statement for the restoration of Promontory Point. In addition to Preservation Chicago, other organizations in support include Hyde Park Historical Society, Landmarks Illinois, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Friends of the Parks, Openlands Chicago, and the Cultural Landscape Foundation.

Read the full story at Block Club Chicago

• Hyde Parkers Unveil Neighbor-Led Designs To Preserve Promontory Point; The nonprofit Promontory Point Conservancy shared several options for preserving the Point’s limestone steps this week as federal and city agencies plan to reinforce the beloved lakefront park, Maxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago, 1/15/25
• Community-commissioned studies make case for Promontory Point rehabilitation; 25-year efforts to save the park’s limestone from erosion and demolition continue, Marc Monaghan and Hannah Faris, Hyde Park Herald, 1/16/25
• Activists say new studies show Promontory Point’s historic limestone seawall can be repaired; Three recent studies find that a preservation-based approach to repairing the point’s limestone steps could still meet storm damage and coastal protection requirements and offer a road map to renovations, Sophie Sherry, Chicago Sun-Times, 1/14/25
• Promontory Point Advocates Unveil Designs to Preserve Historic Limestone; Local organizers call on federal and city agencies to protect Promontory Point’s historic limestone revetment amid construction concerns, Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Maroon, 1/21/25
• Promontory Point community group releases studies that support saving limestone steps, Ezra Maille, Chicago Tribune, 1/14/25
• Peters resolution supports Community Preservation Plan for Promontory Point in Burnham Park, Illinois Senate Democrats Press Release, 11/21/24
• Promontory Point Conservancy nabs big grant for engineering study; Roadblock to Army Corps planning efforts lifts, Marc C. Monaghan, Hyde Park Herald, 7/23/24
• Preservationist-Backed Study Finds Promontory Point Rock Wall is Good for Another 100 Years as Efforts Continue to Fight Off Demolition, Patty Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 4/4/24
• Promontory Point’s Limestone Is Still Protecting The Lakefront And Can Be Preserved, Advocates’ Study Finds; The Point needs a rehab, but that can be done using many of the existing limestone blocks — and without a drastic, costly overhaul, coastal engineers found, Maxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago, 4/8/24
• Promontory Point Landmark Designation Report, March 9, 2023