Preservationists have staved off the demolition of three historic buildings in the Chicago Loop. The Consumer Building by Jenney, Mundie & Jensen (1913); Century Building by Holabird & Roche (1915); and 214 State Street by C.M. Palmer (1883) will not to be torn down, contrary to a $52 million demolition plan that Congress issued last winter.
All three buildings are owned by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Previously, federal officials said they presented a security risk to the Dirksen Federal Building on Dearborn Street, and that they needed to be torn down and replaced. Instead, GSA has opted for the “viable adaptive reuse” of these iconic State Street structures, putting to bed all concerns that they may be demolished.
“There was a huge public outcry to save these buildings, and against the tremendous waste that their demolition would bring,” said Elizabeth Blasius, cofounder of Preservation Futures, a Chicago office. “Now, it’s no longer a question of if these buildings are going to be preserved, it’s a matter of how.”
Preservation Futures fought hard to saved the structures, and created informational videos about them to spread awareness. Blasius extensively reported on the Century & Consumer Buildings for MAS Context.
“I’m really excited for the GSA and all of its preservation partners to put their heads together and come up with the best use for them,” Blasius continued. “I think housing is the obvious and natural choice here. Housing advocates have pushed hard to see the towers turned into housing. An archive center would also be a great use.”
A local nonprofit, Preservation Chicago, listed the Century & Consumer Buildings on its endangered list in March. Preservation Chicago has since floated multiple potential uses for the towers, including a new home for the Chicago Collaborative Archive Center.
Moving forward, a series of public meetings will be held hosted by GSA to identify potential uses for the towers, and “to avoid, minimize, or mitigate potential adverse effects on the historic buildings.” The public has until September 3 to weigh in.
Whatever new use the buildings accommodate, the retrofit will need to satisfy “the security needs of the Dirksen Courthouse,” the adjacent buildings, GSA said in a statement.
