County Hospital up for landmark status

Chicago Sun-Times

March 9, 2006

By Steve Patterson

Ninety-three years after its cornerstone was laid, Cook County Hospital is on track to being designated a historic landmark.

That track, supporters admit, is a long one, fraught with political bumps and multiple opportunities for derailment.

Still, they said, they hope nominating the facility to the National Register of Historic Places staves off talk of demolition.

"A nomination does not mean it will have clear sailing to being listed," said Michael Moran of Preservation Chicago. "What gets listed on the national register, unfortunately, is subject to the will of the governor's office."

Moran joined Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley, who filed the application for federal designation, and other officials at a Wednesday news conference outside the old hospital building.

The application will be reviewed by city and state advisory boards, which will issue recommendations before forwarding it to the state's historic preservation officer, who is appointed by the governor.

All of those opinions are then delivered to the National Park Service; its historic board has final say on federal designation but likely would follow the officer's recommendation, Moran said.

"We view this [application] as a very positive step," said Dave Blanchette, spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

If approved, all development on the site would qualify for a 20 percent federal tax credit.

But also looming over the application for historic status is the pending demolition of parts of the hospital, including four wings at the back of the structure.

At a recent Cook County Board meeting, Commissioner Jerry Butler -- who, like Board President John Stroger, favors demolishing the building -- asked those heading up the demolition whether they were taking all steps to ensure the main building would be safe.

He was assured they would, though Quigley and Moran are concerned. "We don't want to see any so-called 'accidental' damage done to the historic part of the hospital," Moran said.

Stroger said he continues to believe the hospital should be demolished to make room for other improvements around the new Stroger Hospital and its campus.

Copyright 2006, Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.

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