Promontory Point Conservancy
preserving the Point the right way
The community is the Point: how preserving the historic limestone revetment preserves a City-wide community
Don't destroy it. Fix it the right way.
Don't destroy it. Fix it the right way.
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Why “Save the Point”? Save it from what?
As of January 2026, the Chicago Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), and the Chicago Park District (CPkD) are fully funded to demolish the limestone block revetment and replace it with new construction closing the Point for 5 years. All at the exorbitant cost of $100m dollars. CDOT's contractor will complete its $5m design plan in 2026 and construction will start in spring 2027. Read more |
How can we Save the Point?
Promontory Point Conservancy commissioned four independent engineering reports, funded by the community, which ultimately reached a variety of different conclusions about the Point’s structural soundness. They found that the Point’s existing limestone revetment has not failed, functions in pretty good condition and can be repaired for half the cost in eleven months. And it can be fixed in sections so the Point never closes. Read more |
Didn’t we already Save the Point?
You’re right, they’ve tried this before! After previous efforts to concretize the Point were shut down by the community from 2000-2007, the Conservancy spearheaded the Point’s addition to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018 as well as its designation as a Chicago Landmark in 2023. But this double landmarking still hasn’t guaranteed that the Point’s defining features won’t be destroyed — and a vibrant community along with it. Read more |
The conflict between what the community desires and USACE, CDOT and CPkD's plan for demolition and replacement is succinctly summarized in this video here (4:14) by Hans Friedl.
Promontory Point de-stigmatizes the South Side and shows who we really are. Read the study
Everyone has a Point story. What's yours? Write us
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Latest new about the Point and the Conservancy
Promontory Point Conservancy wins prestigous Park Heroes Advocacy Award from
Friends of the Parks!
Read press coverage, "Friends of the Parks honors local park advocates", by Marc Monaghan, at the Hyde Park Herald, August 13, 2026.
On July 27, 2026, members of the Conservancy, Preservation Chicago, Friends of the Parks, the Hyde Park Historical Society, Jackson Park Watch, the Advocates for Morgan Shoal, Alderman Desmon Yancy, Senator Robert Peters and Maya Rodriquez, Aaron Craig from U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly's office, Terry Sadawski from the Mason's union and CJ Wallace from the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office met to negotiate the programmatic agreement for Promontory Point with the Chicago Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Chicago Dept. of Transportation, the Chicago Park District. Another Consulting Party the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation joined virtually.
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Pastor David Black led the Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis of Assisi Day, at Promontory Point, October 4, 2025. This year, Pastor Black will be blessing pets and all animals at the Point on Saturday, October 3.
WBEZ's What's That Building? program features Promontory Point! WBEZ reporters Dennis Rodkin and Sasha-Ann Simons take you to Promontory Point. Praising the Point as a "40-acre, car-free peninsula that feels like a self-contained sanctuary on the South Side", they highlight the Point in their renowned series on July 27, 2026. Listen and read here. |
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Photo credits: Tim Murphy and Patsy Evans