Committee on Design

Dear fellow lovers of historic modern architecture,

As you may have heard, Bertrand Goldberg's Prentice Women's Hospital in Chicago is endangered. Northwestern University has stated that they intend to tear the building down as soon as they can. This is hindered slightly as there is still a tenant in the lower portion that will not move out until September. Therefore the push is on to try to get the City of Chicago to do something about it.

The effort here locally is being lead by Landmarks Illinois and Preservation Chicago who have both listed it on their most endangered lists. It has also been submitted to the NTHP for listing on their most endangered list too, but that list does not come out for another month or so and we do not know for certain if it will be included.

Below are a number of links to current articles and websites about the issue so you can familiarize yourself with what is going on. The current request is to get as many people as possible to write a letter to Alderman Brendan Reilly who has gotten agreement from Northwestern to hold off for 60 days. Northwestern claims that the building no longer functions for its needs and cannot be adapted to any reasonable use for them. To counter that, Landmarks Illinois has developed a reuse study with three different alternative uses. These have not been formerly unveiled yet (they will be soon), but they do show there are alternatives. This does not mean that Northwestern will relent, but it may get Reilly on our side.

We would like as many people as possible to write a letter to Alderman Reilly telling him to consider local landmark designation and to find a way to save the building. There are a few sample letters on the Landmarks Illinois site you can read. Also please forward this on to anyone you think might be inclined to also support the effort. Showing Reilly that this is a matter of concern that goes beyond the city limits is important. It would be particularly great to get some recognizable names in architecture write a letter. If any of you have such contacts please reach out to them. Also please join the SAVE PRENTICE facebook page at SavePrentice.org where you can continue to follow developments on the issue.

Alderman Brendan Reilly
Office of the 42nd Ward
Suite 510
325 W. Huron
Chicago, IL 60654
ph. (312) 642-4242
Fax (312) 642-0420
office@ward42chicago.com

Landmarks Illinois website entry:

http://www.landmarks.org/ten_most_2011_prentice_womens_hospital.htm

Preservation Chicago website entry:

http://www.preservationchicago.org/chicago-seven/2011/heritage/58

Blair Kamin's most recent article:

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2011/04/with-reilly-.html

Lynn Becker's blog entry which includes Alderman Reilly's letter to his constituents.

http://arcchicago.blogspot.com/2011/04/reilly-wins-60-day-delay-on-demolition.html

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

Gunny

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Thomas "Gunny" Harboe FAIA
Principle
Harboe Architects, PC
Chicago IL
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