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“We
accept nominations for special places, historic places, from
anybody in the public about a place in Illinois,” Landmarks
Illinois President and CEO Bonnie McDonald told The Center
Square. “This is our oldest advocacy program, and it has been
very successful in helping community members to save the places
that matter to them.”
This contest has helped to preserve more than half of the 300
sites nominated over the years, and while this may not seem like
a success story, McDonald said it certainly is.
“Many of these places come to us when they are close to being
demolished,” she said, describing the fight to ward off the
wrecking ball as often an uphill battle.
Making the list of the state’s most historic endangered places
can help in terms of funding and technical assistance, she said.
One of the most notable buildings rescued from demolition, she
says, is the Old Cook County Hospital in Chicago, which has
emerged as a hotel and food hall.
Besides jobs, McDonald told The Center Square many benefits stem
from preservation.
“If you care about the environment, reusing existing places is
one of the greenest things we can do. Reusing our existing
materials is just an inherently sustainable thing to do,” she
said. “Additionally, we see that more jobs are created when we
use an existing place because it takes more labor than
materials.”
Those with a landmark in need of a boost can send their
nomination via the website Landmarks.org before the Jan. 12
deadline. Winners will be announced in May.
According to the nonprofit’s website, sites can be nominated
based on historical or architectural qualities or they may be
important to the community’s way of life, traditions and
heritage.
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