Earlier this week we got a tour of historic Pullman from Saul Klibanow, president of Park Bank Initiatives, the nonprofit developer restoring several houses in the neighborhood. He pointed out the Factory and Administration Building on the northeast corner of Cottage Grove Avenue and 111th Street, the center of production for the old Pullman Palace Car Company.
Plans have been in the works since the early ’90s to restore the site and make it into a cultural and tourist attraction. That mission has moved forward slowly, in part because much of the building was gutted by fire in 1998. These days, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, which owns the property, is working toward creating an archive about the history of Chicago industry and labor. “It’ll have an exhibit, programming, academic research,” said Mike Wagenbach, site manager for the property.
Klibanow had a different idea (which he said is strictly in the “dream stage”): convert it to condos. Private ownership will spur community investment, he argued. And the health of the property won’t be reliant on public funding (the state has pumped $20 million into the factory building and a nearby historic hotel, according to Wagenbach).
What’s your take? If a condo development were possible at this site, would Pullman benefit?
Pullman should be one of chicago’s number one tourist attractions. It is the Rome of chicago. Historically significant actions that changed the direction of American politics happened here. It was our first taste of communism and we spit it out like rotten milk. These buildings are literally frozen in time. Unfortunately the surrounding communities are so downtrotten that many do not feel safe going here. In due time, as 19th/20th century history becomes more important so will the neighborhood of Pullman. In the mean time we wait, we preserve, and we tell the stories of old man Pullman.
As many of you know, I don’t currently live in Chicago. Nevertheless, on a recent trip a few years ago I made a point of visiting the Pullman Historic District.
It’s a very small district but the area immediately around it looks very derilect. All cultural archives and what not in the world will not save this neighborhood without some good old fashioned private investment. It’s on the deep deep south side of Chicago, so you’re already unlikely to get a lot of tourists.
So yes, I wholeheartedly think that condos, homes, etc etc are needed to not only revitalize the neighborhood, but make best of what historic structures are already there.
Some south side Alderman seem to get it, while others seem to fight development as if being poor, vacant, depressing, crime-ridden, and devoid of hope is some sort of God-given right (hence driving investment away and towards the uber-vibrant north side of Chicago).
Tillman was by far the worst, and thank God she’s gone. Hyde Park’s Aldermen have a chance to bring more vitality to their neighborhood, if they can see beyond the self-serving, provincial, anti-everything NIMBYism that is running rampant in that particular neighborhood.
Anyhow, I’ve gone way off topic. But those are my thoughts