To be Demolished
Background Information for To be Demolished
Over the course of 2012 David Schalliol will produce a photographic portrait of 100 of the hundreds of buildings threatened with demolition in the city of Chicago.
Buildings of all scales and qualities will be documented so that he can represent the full range of buildings demolished over the period. More specifically, David will photograph all buildings entered into "demolition hold" process, as well as a sampling of buildings from the Fast Track Abatement Program and the standard demolition court proceedings. One photograph from each site visit will be posted to Gapers Block along with notes about the building and any available information from the Chicago Historic Resources Survey. In the case of buildings included on the "demolition hold" list, relevant information from the public "hold" announcements will supplement the other material.
The series is supported by a generous grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Additional support is provided by Preservation Chicago.
Key Terms and Resources
- The Circuit Court of Cook County is the gatekeeper for most demolition in the City of Chicago, ultimately issuing demolition permits.
- The Fast Track Abatement Program avoids the court process by allowing the city to repair or demolish buildings three stories or shorter that are "vacant, open, and constitute a hazard to the community."
- The Chicago Historic Resources Survey is the city's effort to assess the importance of all pre-1940 buildings in the city. "Red" and "Orange" rated buildings are subject to a "demolition hold" of up to 90 days to explore alternatives to demolition. A building's "Status" is updated to "Released" when demolition of the building is allowed.
- RED properties possess some architectural feature or historical association that made them potentially significant in the broader context of the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, or the United States of America. About 300 properties are categorized as "Red" in the CHRS.
- ORANGE properties possess some architectural feature or historical association that made them potentially significant in the context of the surrounding community. About 9,600 properties are categorized as "Orange" in the CHRS.
- Additional local resources for architecture and building history include:
- American Institute of Architects Chicago
- Chicago Architecture Foundation
- Chicago Bauhaus & Beyond
- Chicago History Museum, specifically its architecture section
- Cook County Assessor's Office
- Cook County Recorder of Deeds
- Daniel X O'Neil's Demolition Hold List Website
- DOCOMOMO Midwest
- Forgotten Chicago
- Graham Resource Center at Illinois Institute of Technology
- Landmarks Illinois
- Preservation Chicago
- SAIC's Chicago Architects Oral History Project
- Society of Architectural Historians
Location of Series Buildings
About the series
Over the course of 2012 David Schalliol will produce a photographic portrait of 100 of the hundreds of buildings threatened with demolition in the city of Chicago. Visit the background information section for more information about the project, including definitions and links to other building resources.
The series is supported by a generous grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
All Buildings in the Series
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