Illinois' Most Endangered Historic Places For 2015
By John Dodge
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The 2015 list of most endangered sites in Illinois include the home of the Schwinn Bicycle co-founder, an early Chicago movie palace and an industrial bakery.
Now in its 20th year, the list calls attention to threatened historic resources in need of assistance.
"The sites named to the list ... are all exceptionally important to not only local residents, but the local economy," said Bonnie McDonald, President of Landmarks Illinois. "By calling attention to the potential for reuse and revitalization of these historic places, we are encouraging job creation and economic development across Illinois – something everyone can support."
The properties on this year's list are:
Arnold-Crowe House, 3329 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago
The Arnold-Crowe House is a prominent home built on Washington Boulevard and Garfield Park for Adolph Arnold, a successful meatpacker and co-founder of the Schwinn Bicycle Company.
Central Park Theater, 3535 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago
The 1917 Central Park Theater, by noted architecture firm Rapp and Rapp, was one of the nation's first "movie palaces." As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, it's been a church for last 40-plus years and has fallen into major disrepair. "The House of Prayer Church of God in Christ has used the nearly 1,800 seat theater since 1971 but hasn't been able to make critical repairs," McDonald said.
Schulze Bakery, 40 E. Garfield Blvd., Chicago
Once the highest-producing baking company in the country, the Schulze Bakery in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood was built in 1914
Black Hawk Statue, Lowden State Park, 1411 N. River Road, Oregon
The Black Hawk statue stands nearly fifty-feet-tall on a high bluff overlooking Lowden State Park. Designed by noted Chicago sculptor Lorado Taft.
Bowen Building, Peoria State Hospital, 4125 W. Pfeiffer Rd., Bartonville
The Bowen Building, the centerpiece of the National Register-listed Peoria State Hospital complex, has been largely unoccupied since the closure of the hospital in 1973.
Condell House, 605 S. 4th St., Springfield
Built in 1842, the Condell House is one of Springfield's oldest surviving structures but is currently facing a City-ordered demolition unless a new owner can be found.
William H. Coventry House & Barn 7704 Rt. 14 N., Harvard
Currently for sale as part of a 287 acre, commercially-zoned tract, the 1855 William H. Coventry House & Barn were rehabilitated in 1994 by Motorola as housing for visiting executives. Closed in 2003 and under different ownership, the former Motorola campus and Coventry buildings have deteriorated.
Ziock Building, (Others, Statewide) 416 S. Main St., Rockford
The Elgin Tower Building, the Hobbs Building, Madison Theater, the Murphy Building, and the Ziock Buiding (above) are historic commercial buildings important to their business districts, but all require the incentives to make good financial sense for rehabilitation.
Mid-Century Modern Houses (Others Statewide), 222 Prospect Place, Danville
Many mid-century modern houses are vulnerable as tear-downs in the Chicago area Illinois underlines the challenge of marketing unique homes from the 1940s-1970s. The open floor plans, small kitchens, seemingly outdated materials in many mid-century houses lead many realtors to view them as less desirable and list them for their land value
St. James Academy, 220 Illinois St., Lemont
Built in 1883, the historic St. James Academy (now known as St. Patrick School) is one of just a dozen limestone structures still standing in the historic quarry town of Lemont. It has been vacant for decades, and is the target for demolition.
Thatchcot House, 515 S. 13th St., Herrin
The whimsical Thatchcot House in Herrin has fallen on difficult times since a fire in 2000 severely damaged its interior. Hal and Violet Trovillion and local builder J.H. Kuehner collaborated to transform the traditional 1915 bungalow into an interpretation of an English thatched cottage
State Historic Preservation Office
Governor Rauner's proposed FY 2016 budget zeroes out funding for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency Preservation Services Division, the state's Historic Preservation Office.
Description Of Illinois' Most Endangered Places