The map of the city of Chicago is flecked with various landmark districts. From historic Astor Street in the Gold Coast to the city’s newest landmark districts in Rogers Park and Streeterville.
But no matter how deserving, not everything that every Chicago citizen thinks is historic ends up on the table in front of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks.
So one of our readers put together his own list of Chicago places he thinks should be landmark districts. He writes,
Click the map below to explore his suggestions visually, or keep reading to find his explanations below.
River North Merchandise Market District— It has one oft the largest collection of post fire commercial and industrial structures in the city. It has been recently subject to condo, and office development, which while bringing more energy into the area, has sadly resulted in tear downs of a number of historic structures. Landmarking this area would keep intact an entire neighborhood from a period of the city’s history from which so much from has been lost.
Sheffield District— According to Preservation Chicago, this neighborhood has the largest collection of Victorian architecture in the Midwest, yet has been subject to a large number of tear downs. A Landmark District would allow for a significant part of this wonderful Lincoln park community to retain it’s historic character, while not falling to the same fate as other parts of Lincoln Park.
Pulaski Park District— The neighborhood, just outside of Polonia Triangle, Chicago’s “Polish Downtown” has been a polish ethnic enclave, containing many largely intact blocks of gable-roofed post-fire working-class apartments and cottages.
Wicker Park Northeast of Milwaukee/Bucktown— This area, east of Milwaukee Avenue contains a large number of historic townhouses and apartments, which are more working class than those in the landmarked parts of Wicker Park. This area has been subject to a huge number of tear downs since 2000, yet there is still a large enough, and (in parts) concentrated enough number of workman’s cottages left in the area for a landmark district.
West Town— This Areas of West Town contains an area of a few blocks of fully intact brick Victorian townhouses, and workman’s cottages in an area surrounded by increasing tear downs and gentrification.
East Village Extension— These two blocks are of similar historical content to he rest of the east village, and ought to be saved before it’s too late.
