Welcoming LPCI to the fight

We're happy to report that the influential Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois has expressed their support of STR this week.

We had a dicsussion with Lisa DiChiera, Director of Advocacy of the LPCI (Landmarks Preservation Council Inc.) on Thursday 10/20/2005

We called the LPCI to discuss starting the process of landmarking the Ramova. Basically, if the landmark designation is given to the Ramova, the face (marquee and terracotta front) would be protected under the landmark designation. Unfortunatley, the interior of the theater is not protected by this designation. Since both the Alderman and John Molloy have stated that the marquee may be taken down and the terracotta still needs to be evaluated to see if it’s viable, we feel that this is a necessary move on our organizations part in the attempt to Save The Ramova!

Lisa suggests that we write a letter to Alderman Balcer making it clear that his continued endorsement is required along with the endorsement from his constituents (our petitions) to push landmark status. Lisa also suggests that we try to engage some local organizations for support and also try to find the local CDC(community development corporation) or a local business organization that takes in development.

Lastly, we have also found out that the Ramova was designated as an Orange rating in the City’s architectural survey (conducted from 1985-1995 and published in 1996, the City-sponsored Chicago Hitoric Resources Survey(CHRS) identified more that 17,000 properties in all 50 wards considered to have potential architectural and historical importance. This information is available at City libraries and the Chicago Landmarks website:http://egov.cityofchicago.org/Landmarks/CHRS.html is the second highest rating of architectural significance, red is first for buildings like Wrigley Building or Tribune Tower. Orange rated buildings not only are often landmarked, but for those not landmarked, if someone applies for a demo permit on an orange rated building, there is a 90 day delay so the public can express concern. So hopefully for the Ramova we will not get to that point.

Lisa suggests that we write a letter to Alderman Balcer making it clear that his continued endorsement is required along with the endorsement from his constituents (our petitions) to push landmark status. Lisa also suggests that we try to engage some local organizations for support and also try to find the local CDC(community development corporation) or a local business organization that takes in development.


There are significant benefits available to the developer such as a 20% tax rehab credit(according to Lisa), tax increment financing, façade rebate program, special property tax assessment classification for landmarks called the Class “L” which reduces the tax assessment level for locally designated landmark commercial and industrial property over a twelve year period, provided the owner invests at least half of the building’s value in an approved rehabilitation program.

There is also a grant called the Heritage Grant Fund that would help subsidize an independent study, by a qualified architect or engineer of the Ramova. The Alderman or City DPD would currently have to apply for this grant (this is an area we are still not clear on, so let’s not get into too many details about the hows, but just that this is one possible grant that is ava. to qualified bldgs).

Please post any comments or questions re: the landmark status of the Ramova. Do you feel this is the right path for us to take?