| |
Located in the Near North section of Chicago and constructed between 1894
and 1913, the Tree Studios artists’ compound and Medinah Temple share a
large urban lot in a highly desirable area. Back in 1999, the Chicago
chapter of Shriners that owned both properties stated its intentions to sell
the block. A high-rise redevelopment plan emerged that proposed demolishing
the Moorish-style Medinah Temple for a high-rise condo and preserving only
the façades of the original Tree Studios building for a shopping mall. A
year and a half of persistent negotiating with the owners, followed by the
collaborative efforts of several private and public entities resulted in an
alternate plan.
Thanks to the support of Chicago’s City Council, local and federal tax
incentives, and a very committed private developer, an entire historic block
was saved from the wrecking ball. Medinah Temple has been adapted as a
Bloomingdale’s home store and the Tree Studios were carefully restored with
a focus towards arts-related tenants. In a neighborhood that is rapidly
changing due to multiple high rise developments, this block is a rare
surviving example of the human-scaled development of centuries past.
|
|
