This impressive Classical Revival-style school was designed in 1917 by
Arthur Hussander for the West Englewood neighborhood. Established as a
technical school, Lindblom was a longstanding rival of Lane Technical High
School in prestige and popularity. However, as the neighborhood declined
during the 1980s, this selective enrollment school encountered
difficulties
in recruiting and retaining
students. Instead of abandoning the
facility, however, the Chicago Board of Education hired a preservation
architect to return the school to its former grandeur and to provide a
model for further community revitalization efforts.
Building improvements
included the removal of dropped ceilings, uncovering a glass-and-steel
skylight in the dance studio, restoring the proscenium arch and period
details in the performance hall, installing modern mechanical systems, and
meeting accessibility requirements. An open house following the
renovations drew more than 800 families to the high school, eliciting rave
reviews from both returning and prospective students.
Landmarks Illinois
Suite 1315
53 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
tel. 312-922-1742
fax 312-922-8112
