February 8, 2019
Landmarks Illinois recently received the 2018 President’s Award from AIA Illinois for its efforts in helping to pass legislation to create a new statewide historic preservation tax credit. Landmarks Illinois President & CEO Bonnie McDonald received the award on behalf of the organization at the AIA Service Awards Ceremony February 4, 2019, at the Chicago Architecture Center.
Landmarks Illinois partnered with AIA Illinois in 2018 as well as throughout the past decade to advocate for a statewide historic preservation tax credit. Our efforts were rewarded when the General Assembly overwhelming passed legislation in June 2018 that expanded the existing River Edge Redevelopment Zone Historic Tax Credit and established a new statewide Historic Preservation Tax Credit across Illinois. Both Landmarks Illinois and AIA Illinois provided language, testimony, research and expertise on tax credit best practices for the bill authors.
Kim Kurtenbach, 2018 AIA Illinois Board President, said in a statement, it was fitting to present this award to Landmarks Illinois during the state’s Bicentennial year.
“This year AIA Illinois named 200 Great Places in Illinois as part of the state’s celebration,” Kurtenbach said. “We can’t imagine how many Great Places we might have lost over the years if we didn’t have Landmarks Illinois working to preserve historic architecture,” she says.
Landmarks Illinois wishes to thank AIA Illinois for this honor as well as its many years of partnership and dedication to this major statewide advocacy effort. Together, we have helped open up this vital historic preservation incentive to all communities in the state, which will spark private investment in our historic places, economic development and job creation.