See a full map of landmarks and orange-rated buildings (90-day demo delay) in our ward below. See a full overview of the landmarking process here, and the City’s Landmarks Division page here.
Recent Landmarks:
Alderman Lawson has worked closely with community groups, residents and property owners to identify and preserve significant buildings and districts in the ward. Since 2003, there have been eight new landmark designations in the ward:
- Wrigley Field
- 800-900 Newport Avenue District
- 800 Oakdale
- Terra Cotta Row – 1000 Oakdale
- Surf – Pine Grove
- 448 W. Barry
- 833 W. Aldine
- 621 W. Belmont – St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
44th Ward Landmarks:
Alta Vista Terrace District
One of the last real estate developments of Samuel Eberly Gross, this historic street displays townhouses in a lively variety of styles and designs, often referred to as “A Street of Forty Doors.” Each townhouse is duplicated at the diagonally opposed opposite end of the block with minor variations. Read more here.
Engine Company 78
Parallel with Wrigley Field, this landmark is one of Chicago’s “first-generation” firehouses, constructed exclusively to house motorized vehicles, and representing evolving ideas about Chicago’s firehouses and fire protection. Read more here.
Wrigley Field
Originally built in 1914 to house a team in the now-defunct Federal Baseball League, the historic ballpark has housed the Chicago Cubs since 1916. Over the decades, Wrigley Field has been the stage for some of the most storied moments in sports history, from Babe Ruth’s legendary “Called Shot” in the 1932 World Series to Gabby Hartnett’s “Homer in the Gloamin’” that propelled the Cubs to the 1938 National League pennant. It was also the longtime home of the Chicago Bears and even hosted the first NFL championship in 1933. Recognizing its place in American culture, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated Wrigley Field as a National Historic Landmark in 2020, following the 1060 Project, an effort to renovate and restore the ballpark in 2014. Rear more here.
42nd Precinct/ Town Hall Police Station
Built in 1907 on the former site of Lake View Township’s town hall, the 42nd Precinct / Town Hall Police Station is one of Chicago’s oldest surviving police stations. Designed in the Classical Revival style, the building is notable for its limestone ornament and copper cornice, reflecting the grandeur once given to civic architecture. It served the Chicago Police Department for over a century before its 2013 designation as a Chicago Landmark. Read more here.
Rainbow Pylons and the Legacy Walk
Since 1997, the Rainbow Pylons lining North Halsted Street have stood as one of the first public monuments in the country to recognize an LGBTQ community. Enhanced in 2012 with the Legacy Walk’s bronze plaques honoring LGBTQ figures from around the world, they together form an outdoor museum and a powerful symbol of visibility, inclusion, and pride. Designated a Chicago Landmark in 2019, the pylons and plaques embody the neighborhood’s role as a cultural and political center for LGBTQ life. Read more here.
Newport Avenue District
Between Halsted and Clark Streets, this distinctive and highly intact ensemble of buildings with brick and stone-fronted three-flats exemplifies the high-quality working-class residential architecture constructed in Chicago’s neighborhoods during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Read more here.
Hawthorne Place District
Hawthorne Place is one of the few streets along the city’s north shore that was developed for–and has largely retained–large residences on large lots. After a shoreline drive began to be constructed in the 1890s, the McConnell brothers created large lots to attract buyers who wanted proximity to downtown but with larger yards than typically found in the city. The district features works by such architects as Burnham & Root and Pond & Pond, with its openness serving as an oasis between the density of the Broadway retail district and the high rises along Lake Shore Drive. Read more here.
Charles M. Netterström House
The Charles M. Netterström House (833 W. Aldine) is a rare surviving example of Lake View’s early suburban residences, built between 1872 and 1874 and later expanded in the 1890s. Combining Italianate and Queen Anne architectural styles, its corner tower and ornate detailing make it stand out on its triangular lot. Home to Swedish immigrant, builder, and state senator Charles Netterström, the house also became a gathering place for Lake View’s Swedish-American community and was designated a Chicago Landmark in 2017. Read more here.
Belmont-Sheffield Trust & Savings Bank Building
This former multi-use commercial block was constructed by the Belmont-Sheffield Trust and Savings Bank to serve the needs of Lakeview’s numerous Swedish residents while housing rental offices, a hotel, and multiple street-level storefronts. This impressive building features a monumental arched entrance, limestone clad walls and buff colored brick and light-gray ornamental terra-cotta. Read more here.
St. Peter’s Church and Parish House
Built in 1895 with an adjoining parish house added in 1926, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (615–623 W. Belmont) is a distinguished example of Gothic Revival architecture in Lakeview. Once Chicago’s largest Episcopal congregation, the church and parish house not only served as a place of worship but also as a hub for community gatherings, recreation, and social services. With its carved stone, stained glass, and historic role in the neighborhood’s growth, it remains a vital part of Lakeview’s architectural and cultural heritage. Read more here.
Terra Cotta Row District
This small district of four residential buildings and an ornamental wall is noteworthy for its association with the Northwestern Terra Cotta Company and its shared use of ornate terra-cotta ornamentation. The buildings and unusual terra-cotta walls were built by Northwestern Terra Cotta Company executives and exemplify changing taste in architectural styles. Read more here.
Oakdale Avenue District
Designed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries using fashionable architectural styles such as Queen Anne and Romanesque, this one-block-long district in Chicago’s Lake View neighborhood is a handsome group of single-family houses and small apartment buildings. Read more here.
Surf-Pine Grove District
The Surf-Pine Grove District, centered on the 400–500 blocks of West Surf Street and the 2800 block of North Pine Grove Avenue, is a cohesive collection of houses and apartment buildings built between 1890 and 1928. Showcasing styles from Richardsonian Romanesque rowhouses to grand courtyard and apartment hotels, the district reflects Lakeview’s transformation from a suburban town to a dense, fashionable lakefront neighborhood. It was designated a Chicago Landmark in 2007. Read more here.
The Brewster
Completed in 1893, the Brewster Apartments (2800 N. Pine Grove) is one of Chicago’s most striking 19th-century residential buildings, designed by architect Enoch Hill Turnock. Built with an innovative steel frame, its massive stone exterior hides a dramatic interior atrium filled with glass-block walkways, cast-iron bridges, and open-cage elevators that flood the building with natural light. Originally known as the Lincoln Park Palace, the Brewster remains a rare and celebrated example of early skeleton-frame apartment design and a designated Chicago Landmark. Read more here.