A plan to preserve one of Chicago’s most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods ended in failure when it could not generate community support.
The Pilsen neighborhood, home to Eastern European immigrants in the 19th century and later to newcomers from Mexico, includes ornate “Bohemian Baroque” buildings with brilliant murals expressing the area’s Mexican heritage. The city proposed establishing a historic district to protect more than 850 buildings in Pilsen, but was not able to assuage concerns from neighborhood residents.
The historic district was a part of a larger preservation strategy that included housing supports, economic development measures, park space, and more. Other than some financial support, though, the other measures stalled, prompting suspicion in the neighborhood.
Residents strongly opposed the strategy, fearing that landmarking would not provide relief from displacement and gentrification. Part of the problem: design guidelines on how historic building elements had to be maintained according to the district’s standards were never completed and the city could not present a good estimation on the costs of building repairs nor on the value of incentives that would be available to make repairs.
An important lesson for preservationists is the need to partner with more community development organizations, social justice organizations, housing developers, and planners.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 4, 2015
NIBS, RICS to explore P3 as tool to achieve high-performance buildings
The idea of applying the P3 concept more to buildings, and especially building performance, is a potentially promising new avenue in the U.S., according to the trade groups.
University Buildings | May 30, 2015
Texas senate approves $3 billion in bonds for university construction
For the first time in nearly a decade, Texas universities could soon have some state money for construction.
Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2015
Energy Department releases resources to assess building energy benchmarking policies, programs
The new handbook demonstrates methodologies using real data from New York City.
Codes and Standards | May 27, 2015
Construction industry concerns with ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule remain
EPA and Corps of Engineers rule may lead to a longer, more expensive permitting process
Codes and Standards | May 22, 2015
Rapid growth for environmental insurance in construction industry
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is paying closer attention to intrusion of potentially harmful vapors into commercial and residential buildings.
Codes and Standards | May 22, 2015
Roof collapse at Minnesota water park highlights failure to enforce codes
Rural areas say they can’t afford to enforce state-adopted building code.
Codes and Standards | May 22, 2015
U.S. House scuttles EPA plan to expand definition of waters in Clean Water Act
Construction industry officials said the rule would hamper developers, cost jobs.
Codes and Standards | May 22, 2015
First EPD covering PVC water and wastewater piping published
Benchmarks impacts of seven PVC pipe products across their life cycles.
Office Buildings | May 18, 2015
New ASHRAE standard offers test method to determine heat gain of office equipment
The standard will aid engineers in configuring cooling systems in office buildings.
Codes and Standards | May 7, 2015
Widespread damage from Nepal earthquake due to poor implementation of building code
Nepal’s code author says destruction was ‘inevitable.’