A Cooperative Effort

Having recognized that there are several organizations committed to identifying and advocating for the protection of “recent past” architecture, LPCI has initiated a cooperative effort among these groups to organize a major survey of recent past architecture in the Chicagoland area. This survey will address recent past architecture from 1930, where many existing architectural surveys commonly end, to the present. Conducting a survey that examines architecture of the last three quarters of the 20th Century is particularly important as these potential landmarks tend to be vulnerable to demolition.

This loss is due to a number of reasons, one of which is that many local preservation ordinances do not allow for the landmark designation of buildings less than 50 years old. It is also extremely difficult to list buildings less than 50 years old in the National Register of Historic Places.

Goals

LPCI hopes the Chicagoland effort will be the first of several “recent past” survey initiatives throughout the state. With the findings from the survey, the coalition will be able to inform and educate public officials and preservation commissions about important buildings in their communities that should be protected.

As a coalition, these organizations and various individuals will strategize on a survey initiative to begin the fall of 2005 by dividing areas geographically and by prioritizing areas based on threat. LPCI is also currently gathering information from Illinois communities with preservation commissions to determine the extent of local awareness of recent past architecture.

What Can I Do?

	If you are interested in submitting information to the coalition on a recent past building you know about, go to our Recent Past Building Survey Online Submittal Form to enter the appropriate information. Sorry! The Submittal Form is not currently available.
	If you are aware of a threatened recent past building, call (312) 922-1742 ex. 229 or email Lisa DiChiera, Director of Advocacy, at DiChieraL@lpci.org.

Thank you to Carol Dyson at IHPA for designing the IIRPA postcard. (Cover seen on the LPCI home page.)