Construction on Facade of the Buildings Connected to the Ramova

As some of you may already know, there is some restoration work being done on the facade of the second floor of the store fronts that are just north of the Ramova. These store fronts were built at the same time as the Ramova, but were sold to individual owners in either the 1950s or 1960s, so they are not connected to the theater's future at all.

I have been told by some of the tenants that the restoration work is being done because there is a new gym being built on the second floor. I am not sure if this gym will be owned by the same tenants who had the gym before or by new tenants. I just went over and looked at this work this morning and so far it does seem as if this is the case. There was a company out fixing the truss roof today too.

As far as I can gather, the facade of the store front buildings will be restored to it's original form (roof tiles and terracotta are being restored) during this process and the brick work will be cleaned and left in tact.

I have contacted Alderman Balcer and the Department of Planning and Development, but have not been given an official answer about this construction work yet.

Hopefully this will help clear up some of the confusion about the facade of the store fronts and all of the scaffolding in front of the building.

City Seeks Landmark Status For Stock Yards Bank!

Hey, this is great news!

The city seeks landmark status for 13 banks. One of those banks is the Stock Yards National Bank at 4150 S. Halsted. Yes!


Full text below:


City seeks landmark status for 13 banks

ARCHITECTURE | Designation would protect unique buildings

November 11, 2007
BY DAVID ROEDER droeder@suntimes.com

Chicagoans know them as foursquare dependable anchors of old commercial streets and also the most ambitious architecture in their neighborhoods, except maybe for the churches.

They are the bank buildings, festooned with arches, balustrades, columns or soaring first floors. They were designed to convey security and permanence. Some even placed the bank vaults front and center so the customers could see exactly where the money went.

City officials believe they merit landmark status. Acting on a recommendation from city planners, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks has opened the landmark designation process for 13 bank buildings.

The process takes months, and while it doesn't require consent of the property owners, getting it can avoid a public hearing. Once the City Council grants official landmark status to properties, owners are eligible for tax breaks, but they can't tear down their places or start unapproved renovations.

Brian Goeken, deputy planning commissioner, said the 13 buildings are symbols of their neighborhoods' ethnic histories and times when booming real estate markets allowed for grand banking centers. Most were built after a financial panic in 1907 and before the Depression hit in 1929.

"They were often visual landmarks within their communities," Goeken said. "Typically, they were corner buildings. They had the finest in materials and craftsmanship."

But they couldn't guarantee permanence. Chiseled into some of the buildings are the names of their founding banks that have long since disappeared, maybe in the 1930s panics or maybe in a more recent buyout.

If approved as landmarks, the 13 buildings will join five other bank buildings that already have that honor in Chicago or are further along in getting it.

For a photo gallery and map of the historic banks, go to suntimes.com

HISTORY IN THE BANK
City planners are proposing landmark designation for these former neighborhood banks:
Calumet National Bank, 9117 S. Commercial. Organized in 1883, it was the first bank in South Chicago.

Chicago City Bank and Trust Co., 815 W. 63rd St.; completed 1930. The first-floor banking hall has 28-foot ceilings and original marble and bronze finishes.
Cosmopolitan State Bank, 801 N. Clark. The two-story building completed in 1920 "modernized" classical design standards such as columns, pilasters and a frieze.
Hyde Park-Kenwood National Bank, 1525 E. 53rd St. The 10-story Art Deco building completed in 1929 used to be the largest Chicago bank property outside downtown.
Kimbell Trust & Savings Bank, 3600 W. Fullerton. The extensively ornamented 1925 building housed a bank for only seven years until it closed in the Depression.
Marquette Park State Bank, 6314 S. Western. The 1925 building includes a rotunda with a high domed ceiling and a skylight.


Marshfield Trust and Savings Bank, 3325 N. Lincoln. Built in 1925.

Mid-City Trust and Savings Bank, 801 W. Madison. The now vacant building was completed in 1912, with remodeling in 1928.

North Federal Savings and Loan, 100 W. North. Completed in 1961, the youngest building in this group rejects masonry in favor of glass curtain walls and spare details.

Pioneer Trust and Savings Bank, 4000 W. North; completed 1926. Features include an elaborate first-floor hall and friezes showing men at work.

Sheridan Trust and Savings Bank Building, 4753 N. Broadway. A rare neighborhood "skyscraper" for its era, the 12-story terra cotta building was long occupied by Uptown Bank.

Stock Yards National Bank, 4150 S. Halsted. Built just east of the Union Stock Yard Gate in 1935, the building mimics Philadelphia's Independence Hall.

Swedish American State Bank, 5400 N. Clark. The highly decorated 1913 building includes a keystone that incorporates Chicago's municipal "Y" symbol.

In addition, the following have already received landmark designation or are in the hearings process for getting one: Laramie State Bank, 5200 W. Chicago; West Town State Bank, 2400 W. Madison; Logan Square Trust and Savings, 3061 W. Logan; Home Bank and Trust Co., 1200 N. Ashland; Noel State Bank, 1601 N. Milwaukee.
Source: City's Department of Planning and Development

What Is Needed For A Nomination To The NRHP?

You ask, what is needed for a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places?

Well, what we'll need to illustrate is the Ramova's role in our community. Essentially, we will need to argue its aesthetic and local function as inimitable and irreplaceable.

The good news is that Dom feels that a strong argument can be made on the basis of the Ramova's unique and noteworthy design integrity (the degree to which it's current form doesn't deviate from it's original form), and the role the theater played in the community during a sustained historical period. I couldn't agree with him more!

The nomination is a lengthy process, but not one that is beyond us on behalf of the Ramova. I will be posting our progress as it unfolds.

Maureen-

Donations Needed For Operating Expenses Too

Also, if anyone would be open to making a cash donation to support our operating expenses that would be greatly appreciated too. Please email me for a location to send your donations at maureen@savetheramova.com

As you all know, we have tried to keep the home fires burning and can use any monetary help our supporters can provide to continue our website hosting, duplication fees for photos from the Historical Society/Theater Historical Society to use for this nomination and any other associated operating expenses.

After this nomination is prepared, I plan on preparing an exhibit of all of the collected historical materials to display in the re-developed Ramova or a site nearby. We are also working on a short film about the Ramova and it's relationship to Halsted St and Bridgeport as a whole.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Maureen-

Want To Help With The Nomination Process?

Consider donating or loaning any historical material you have about the Ramova or of Halsted St. from 31st St down to 43rd St. I'll be calling this part of Halsted, the Halsted corridor for all future discussions.

These materials will be necessary to develop our nomination in Springfield in the next few months.

Basically any photos, news clippings or other relevant material would be of great help.

These materials will be copied and returned to you as soon as possible.


Thanks in advance,
Maureen-

Welcome Domenico!

I am pleased to announce that the Ramova has been blessed with yet another passionate supporter!

His name is Domenico Ferri. Domenico currently teaches American and Chicago History at Harold Washington College. He is also working to complete his Ph.D. in History at Loyola University.

Dom is taking his final course toward his Ph.D. this semester. This final course is focused on Historic Preservation and the National Register of Historic Places.

As an requirement for this final class, Dom was given the task of selecting a site that is worthy of the register and to prepare a nomination for it. Given this task he has selected The Ramova.

I am honored that Dom has chosen to support the Ramova and our cause. For the past few weeks I have been providing him with all of the research and documentation that I have prepared over the last two years. During this process I will also be sharing additional historical information about our community, based on my research, personal experience and input from the supporters of STR. By doing so, I will help Dom paint an accurate picture of what the Ramova means as a piece of historic architecture and what she has meant to our community in the past, present and future.

Dom and I are meeting weekly to work on this nomination. Watch for future postings about our progress and the outcome of this work in Springfield in the early part of 2008.

Maureen-

She's Still Standing!

Hi Everyone:

Well, it's been a while since we've posted...but she's still standing.

This week, I have again been told that the city is still speaking with the same developer they have been speaking with since we started this campaign in August of 2005. Seems that the slow real estate market is part of why there hasn't been progress. In the words of Roseanne Roseanadana..."if it's not one thing it's another".

Fortunately, the Ramova is still standing and for now she is still fairly safe.

More news from our camp is on its way.

The home fires are still burning!
Maureen-