PRESS RELEASE

CHICAGO, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Lions and bulls and bears, oh my! The dens of these denizens - the Lion House and the Chicago Board of Trade -- have recently been restored to preserve their historic character. These and other Landmark buildings and their owners, 21 in all, will be honored today with the Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence.

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks recognizes outstanding projects that involve notable improvements to designated Chicago Landmarks or properties within Chicago Landmark Districts.
This year's award-winning projects include:

* The $22.6 million renovation of the Chicago Board of Trade building (1929), including the restoration of its dramatic art deco lobby, clad in various marbles accentuated with polished nickel;

* The rehabilitated and expanded exterior animal habitat of the Lion House at Lincoln Park Zoo (1912), one of the country's oldest and finest municipal zoological parks;

* The $11.3 million renovation of the legendary Biograph Theater (1914), which includes restoring the historic white terra cotta and red brick facade, replacing the arched windows, replacing the storefronts, and
rehabilitating its signature marquee;

* The stewardship associated with the stately Queen-Anne style Abbott House (1891), residence of Dr. Wallace C. Abbott, one of the originators of modern pharmacy and the founder of the global health care company, Abbott;

* The restoration of the elaborate terra cotta façade, storefronts and upper-floor leaded windows of the Krause Music Store (1922) -- its facade design was the final project of famed architect Louis Sullivan;

* The rehabilitation of the Prairie Avenue mansion of Marshall Field Jr. (1882), vacant for 40 years, now renovated as six private residences;

* The restoration of numerous historic structures and homes in Landmark Districts across the city, including Armitage-Halsted, Longwood Drive, Mid-North, Motor Row, and Wicker Park.

"The Landmark Preservation Award recognizes property owners, developers, businesses, and organizations for their stewardship in preserving Chicago's architectural and cultural heritage," said Chicago Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Arnold Randall.

The honorees will receive their recognition Thursday at the ninth annual Preservation Awards ceremony at the Chicago Board of Trade. Chicago has 238 individual landmark buildings, monuments and sites, and 46 designated landmark districts, which total more than 8,000 structures of historical significance.

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks, whose nine members are appointed by the Mayor and City Council, works with homeowners, businesses, organizations and developers to preserve and maintain historic properties.
One such group is Park Bank Initiatives, a bank-affiliated non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging neighborhood community development. The organization saved a residential townhouse from demolition on East 107th in the Pullman Landmark District, and rehabilitation work included extensive masonry repair, roof reconstruction, and window and door replacement.

"Chicago's Landmark Preservation Awards speak to the winners' pride in Chicago's history, and to their dedication to ensuring these treasures and the vitality of historic neighborhoods don't slip away," said David Mosena, Chairman, Commission on Chicago Landmarks.

Susan Chandler, a homeowner in the North Kenwood Landmark District said, "We really wanted to restore an old house and we found a great one, one that we could afford. We just love it here."

Interior and exterior renovations of the award-winning three-story home on Oakenwald began in 2006 and Chandler and husband Chris Whitehead moved in this past January. The beauty of the home's original masonry detailing and historic appearance is once again evident to passers by.

"Even when we were moving in, in the dead of winter, neighbors would stop and say they loved what we did here," said Chandler. "It's a great house."

Preservation Award winners were selected by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, based on the previous year's projects that received approval from the Commission's Permit Review Committee. Only properties that have been designated by the City Council as individual Chicago Landmarks or as part of a Chicago Landmark District were eligible. The awards are presented to owners in recognition of their critical role in preserving the city's historic landmarks and keeping them in active use.

Description and photos of this year's projects can be found in http://www.cityofchicago.org/dpd

Source: Chicago Department of Planning and Development

CONTACT: Constance Buscemi of Chicago Department of Planning & Development, +1-312-744-2976

Web site: http://www.cityofchicago.org/dpd