The National Trust for Historic Preservation and Landmarks Illinois have dropped a lawsuit alleging that the city of Chicago improperly denied landmark status to Prentice Women's Hospital, an iconic modernist structure designed in the 1970s by Bertrand Goldberg. Owner Northwestern University will now be free to go forward with its plan to build a major new biomedical research facility on the downtown site.
The Prentice demolition has been under dispute for several years, as preservation enthusiasts attempted to make the case that the building, with its quatrefoil concrete shell cantilevered over a narrow core, was worth saving. Last November, in contentious proceedings, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks granted the building landmark status and then removed the designation on the same day.
After a hearing in Cook County Circuit Court, the preservation groups decided not to proceed. "We continue to believe there were significant flaws with the process that granted and then removed landmark protection for Prentice," said the National Trust in an official statement. "However, we feel that the landmarks process has run its course."
National Trust Field Officer Christina Morris said the groups will continue to cooperate with the city on preservation of historic structures, and that the Prentice situation has brought important attention to the role of modernist architecture in the U.S. “We will continue to work with our partners to preserve the best of Chicago’s architectural heritage.”
(http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-lawsuit-dropped-over-prentice-preservation-20130214,0,3552305.story)
Related Stories
| Oct 3, 2014
Designing for women's health: Helping patients survive and thrive
In their quest for total wellness, women today are more savvy healthcare consumers than ever before. They expect personalized, top-notch clinical care with seamless coordination at a reasonable cost, and in a convenient location. Is that too much to ask?
| Sep 29, 2014
10 common deficiencies in aging healthcare facilities
VOA's Douglas King pinpoints the top issues that arise during healthcare facilities assessments, including missing fire/smoke dampers, out-of-place fire alarms, and poorly constructed doorways.
| Sep 25, 2014
Look to history warily when gauging where the construction industry may be headed
Precedents and patterns may not tell you all that much about future spending or demand.
| Sep 24, 2014
Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector
On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
| Sep 23, 2014
Cedars-Sinai looks to streamline trauma care with first-of-its-kind OR360 simulation space
The breakthrough simulation center features moveable walls and a modular ceiling grid that allow doctors and military personnel to easily reconfigure the shape and size of the space.
| Sep 22, 2014
4 keys to effective post-occupancy evaluations
Perkins+Will's Janice Barnes covers the four steps that designers should take to create POEs that provide design direction and measure design effectiveness.
| Sep 22, 2014
Sound selections: 12 great choices for ceilings and acoustical walls
From metal mesh panels to concealed-suspension ceilings, here's our roundup of the latest acoustical ceiling and wall products.
| Sep 20, 2014
Healthcare conversion projects: 5 hard-earned lessons from our experts
Repurposing existing retail and office space is becoming an increasingly popular strategy for hospital systems to expand their reach from the mother ship. Our experts show how to avoid the common mistakes that can sabotage outpatient adaptive-reuse projects.
| Sep 19, 2014
8 hot healthcare projects win interior design awards
Winners of IIDA's 2014 Healthcare Interior Design Competition include Perkins+Will, AECOM, Buffalo Design, and SmithGroupJJR, for projects from Cincinnati to Toronto.
| Sep 15, 2014
Ranked: Top international AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Parsons Brinckerhoff, Gensler, and Jacobs top BD+C's rankings of U.S.-based design and construction firms with the most revenue from international projects, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
