Chicago preservationists have released a new list of historic sites considered most at risk across the city, warning that several architectural and cultural landmarks could disappear without urgent attention.
The nonprofit Preservation Chicago published its annual Most Endangered Buildings list on Wednesday, continuing an initiative that has highlighted vulnerable structures since 2003. The organization says the goal is to raise awareness about buildings threatened by demolition, redevelopment pressure or long-term neglect.
According to executive director Ward Miller, the sites included in the list often represent far more than aging architecture.
“These are buildings that are important to Chicagoans architecturally, historically and culturally and oftentimes cornerstones of our communities,” Miller said. “So we find our work to be very important to growing a healthy city and healthy neighborhoods.”
Among the locations highlighted this year is the historic Art Institute of Chicago, specifically the Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room and McKinlock Court inside the museum complex at 111 South Michigan Avenue. Preservationists say the interior spaces are significant examples of Chicago’s architectural heritage.
The list also includes a number of other notable sites across the city:
- Chicago River bridges and their historic tender houses
- St. Mary of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church, 310 E. 137th St.
- Chicago labor union halls across the city
- Chicago Loop Synagogue, 16 S. Clark St.
- South Park Terrace Apartments, 6116–6134 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
- Yukon Building, 400 S. Clark St.
- St. Mark Roman Catholic Church, 2516 W. Cortez St.
Some of the entries on this year’s list represent specific buildings, while others highlight broader categories of historic infrastructure. Miller described several nominations as “thematic,” including Chicago’s river bridges and labor union halls, which together reflect key chapters of the city’s industrial and labor history.
Preservation Chicago says the annual list is designed to draw the attention of residents, city officials and developers to vulnerable landmarks before they are lost. In many cases, the organization notes, public awareness has helped spark restoration efforts, landmark designations or new adaptive reuse projects.
By spotlighting threatened sites each year, preservation advocates hope Chicago can protect the structures that helped shape its identity — from historic churches and civic spaces to the industrial and labor landmarks that defined the city’s growth.
