The winter edition of Preservation Chicago‘s quarterly journal, The Voice (not yet online), features essays from four preservationists about why they decided to seek landmark status for their respective neighborhoods.
In the proposed Arlington-Deming Landmark District (Arlington Place, Deming Place, Geneva Terrace and Orchard Street), Shirley Weese writes that the architects of the neighborhood’s historic homes, built mostly between 1872 and 1940: “understood what makes a building not only a good place to live, but also a good neighbor for the surrounding buildings: bays to increase light and air but not infringe on their neighbors … setbacks that allow a moment’s transition between the public and the private … Not only are developers taking advantage of our property values, they are taking away the existing value of our properties by constructing buildings whose size and bulk devalue, visually diminish and physically encroach on their neighbors.” See current Arlington and Roslyn Place District.