2018 Award Recipients

2018 RICHARD H. DRIEHAUS FOUNDATION PRESERVATION AWARD RECIPIENTS

Read about our 2018 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award Recipients below. Award recipients exemplify extraordinary stories of people saving special places throughout our state and show how historic restoration has a positive impact on communities, the environment and the people of Illinois. View a full list of 2018 winners here. You can see all years of award recipients here.

Historic Residential Hotels Preservation Planning, The Carling Hotel, Chicago

Award for Advocacy

The 1927 Renaissance Revival building and former residential hotel has been transformed into 80 Single-Room-Occupancy (SRO) units.
(Photo credit: Ballogg Photography © 2018)

Read More

Davis Theater, Chicago

Award for Rehabilitation

The rehabilitation of the 1918 Davis Theater, the longest continually operating theater in Chicago, including restoring historic elements while adding modern amenities.
(Photo credit: Chris Bradley Photography)

Learn More

Elgin Tower, Elgin

Award for Adaptive Use

The adaptive use project, which used federal and state historic tax credits, transformed the former 1929 Home Banks Building, a 15-story, Art Deco tower, into a 44-unit market-rate housing complex.
(Photo credit: Skender Construction)

Learn More

Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities, Edwardsville

Project of the year award for leadership

The project transformed the former Lincoln School, built in 1912, into a vibrant meeting space and cultural center in the Edwardsville community.
(Photo credit: Casey Weeks)

Learn More

Opera House Block, Plainfield

Award for Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation of this historic opera house included restoration of the building’s north and east façade, the storefront and other original architectural features from the 1899 design.

Learn More

Revel Motor Row, Chicago

Award for Rehabilitation

The project included rehabilitating the former Illinois Automotive Club/Chicago Defender Building and the Cadillac Motor Car Company Showroom, transforming them into an event and production space.
(Photo credit: MacRostie Historic Advisors LLC)

Learn More

"Save Our Story - Save Our Street" - Creation of the West Burton Place Historic District, Chicago

Award for Advocacy

Residents and preservationists led a grassroots campaign to protect a significant district on West Burton Place in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, which ultimately received landmark protection from the City of Chicago in 2016.
(July 29, 2015, article in the Chicago Reader)

Learn More

Van Leer's Broadview Mansion, Normal

Award for Stewardship

The Immanuel Bible Foundation, owner of the mansion and its three-acre estate, and the Town of Normal collaborated to ensure the historic home would be protected in for the future, a partnership that can serve as a model for other communities that wish to preserve historic building.
(Photo Credit: Town of Normal)

Learn More

State Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry), State Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford), State Rep. Steven Andersson (R-Geneva), and State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria)

President’s Award for Legislator of the Year

These four state legislators are being honored jointly as champions of historic preservation who have been instrumental in enacting preservation legislation in Illinois.

Learn More

Support our advocacy

Be a voice for the future of our communities by supporting Landmarks Illinois. Our work enhances communities, empowers citizens, promotes local economic development and offers environmentally sound solutions.

Become A Member