Landmarks Illinois ranks two Chicago locations among most endangered historic buildings in state

Historic preservation nonprofit Landmarks Illinois has released its 2024 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois, highlighting 10 architecturally and culturally important Illinois sites in urgent need of preservation resources. Two Chicago buildings have made the list, the Portage Theatre in Portage Park and the Sears Administration Building in North Lawndale.

The Portage Theatre, built in 1920 and designated a Chicago Landmark, has been closed since 2018. The historic theatre has struggled to secure financing since its closure, and its future remains uncertain.

The Sears Administration Building, part of the National Historic Landmark-designated Sears campus, has remained vacant since being listed for sale in 2023. While other buildings within the Sears campus have been adaptively repurposed the Administration Building continues to sit empty. Landmarks Illinois notes the massive building holds real potential for interested developers.

“This year’s ‘Most Endangered’ sites are not only incredibly important places in their communities, but many are large-scale buildings that sit prominently in highly visible areas near city centers, in historic districts, or on state-owned land. Their neglect is seen and felt,” said Bonnie McDonald, President & CEO of Landmarks Illinois.

Landmarks Illinois’s Most Endangered Historic Places list, launched in 1995, aims to generate advocacy efforts and construct a support system for historic preservation in the state. The organization provides free guidance, financial resources, and opportunities for partnership directed toward stakeholders interested in preserving historical sites in Illinois.