Dear President Stukel:

We learned on Wednesday, May 24, that the University of Illinois had demolished the old Shah's Variety Store at 721 West Maxwell Street.  Without notice, without any salvaging of artifacts, the oldest building on Maxwell Street, dating from the Civil War era, had disappeared with hardly a trace.

As an organization that has struggled to convince the University that the Maxwell Street neighborhood is a historic treasure worthy of preservation, we are terribly dismayed. The University has professed in its public statements about the south campus expansion that it, too, is concerned with historic preservation. The demolition of 721 Maxwell Street makes a mockery of that claim. Since the University does not own the property adjacent to the Shah's building, its demolition was unnecessary and unrelated to your construction timetable. The same is true of the rest of the University-owned properties in the area.

As you are aware, we have submitted to the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency a nomination to place a Maxwell Street Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.  A public hearing on our proposal before the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council will take place on June 9. We ask you to place a moratorium on further demolition of buildings in the district until our application has completed the National Register nomination process, through final determination by the Keeper of the National Register.

In our many meetings and communications with the University over this matter, we have acknowledged the legitimate purposes of the south campus expansion. We understand the educational mission of the University and its need for additional student housing and specialized buildings for research and performances. We even understand your need to fund the expansion through a partnership with private developers. However, we do not understand why a unique part of Chicago's history has to be entirely erased in order to meet those needs. After the University demolished significant period buildings on the southwest corner of Maxwell and Halsted several years ago, it constructed a parking lot that was rarely used. Now that parking lot is being razed for new construction. Despite the University's claims to the contrary, you clearly have no regard for historic values.

I urge you to announce immediately a moratorium on further demolition.

Sincerely,

Charles Cowdery, President
MSHPC

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Contact Us

TO REACH US VIA EMAIL:

Chuck Cowdery, President (cowdery@21stcentury.net)
Steve Balkin, Vice President (mar@openair.org)

Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition
P.O. Box 6435
Evanston, IL  60204