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BEWARE: Diversionary Point

5/2/2022

At least one local politician in favor of preservation at Promontory Point was approached by the City (CDOT)/Chicago Park District (CPD) and asked if the community would support new limestone at the Point. Say what?!?

The limestone at the Point is 400 million years old* and probably will last another 400 million years.

We don’t need new limestone.

We need the limestone reset and re-grouted. We need the wooden cribs replaced with steel ones.

Data Point: tree inventory this summer

4/25/2022

UHigh Midway press on fight to Save the Point Again!

4/25/2022

Great press in UHigh Midway from University of Chicago Lab School journalist Adrianna Nehme: Fight to Save Promontory Point Reinvigorated After Demolition and Construction Proposed, April 6, 2022.

He got the Point

4/2/2022

Landscape architect Johann Friedl captures the serenity of the Point and the clatter of the concrete alternative in this stunning video...

Hairston's got the Point -- fiercely

4/2/2022

Photo: Nancy Hays courtesy of the Hyde Park Historical Society

Calling Promontory Point one of our most beloved treasures, Alderman Leslie Hairston spoke powerfully for preservation at the Point at her 5th Ward meeting on March 22. She condemned the City's "locally preferred plan" of demolition of the limestone and called for repair and rehabilitation in a preservation approach. She went on to note her more than 20 years of work with the community to Save the Point and her advocacy of City-landmarking to stop demolition of the limestone revetment.

Hairston also called out the City for its recent "trick" of requesting federal funding by running around U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who supports repair of the limestone, to U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush to assure funding of its "locally preferred plan". (Promontory Point is actually in Kelly's district, not Rush's.) Fortunately, Rep. Rush learned the truth and took no action. And the City, Park District and Chicago US Army Corps' duplicity and bad faith were exposed. Hairston cited this as further evidence of the lack of transparency in the City Administration and its failure to listen to the voice of the people.

The City and the Park District intend to replace -- rather than repair the historic limestone revetment -- with the "locally preferred plan" of demolition and new construction of concrete. Hairston and Kelly are also joined by IL Senator Robert Peters who has expressed support for perservation.

Destination Point: A Preservation Approach

3/3/2022

Vanishing Point: the City's "locally preferred plan"

3/2/2022

FAQs: The Point, 2022

2/8/2022

Photograph by Nancy Campbell Hays, courtesy of the Hyde Park Historical Society.

The Conservancy's Parallel Process

12/15/2021

Photo of Promontory Point from the south: David Schalliol

Strong support for the Point's limestone revetment

12/15/2021

Between a rock and a hard place

12/14/2021

Photo credit: David Schalliol

Get the Point in your holiday stocking

11/16/2021

Photo credit: Timothy Murphy. Promontory Point after storms 24-25 October 2021

Third Year Running, No Park Supervisor for the Point

11/12/2021

The Conservancy's work day 31 October 2021.

Just why does the City prefer concrete?

11/8/2021

Updated: Nov 16, 2021

The Guardian has a series about the environmental and economic hazards of concrete. The City (CDOT) and the Chicago Park District continue to advocate for the “locally preferred plan” of concrete and steel for Morgan Shoal and Promontory Point. The environmental hazards of concrete only add to the many other objections to replacing the 83-year old limestone revetment with new construction of concrete. The 2015 Morgan Shoal Framework Plan repurposed the historic limestone blocks in a step-stone revetment and a sloped walkway to the water. The City seems to have abandoned this portion of the Framework Plan in preference for concrete.

This while the City’s concrete lakefront appears to be eroding at half life on the North and South Sides. If it’s eroding this bad at mid-age, what major erosion to the City’s concrete revetment will happen in another 10-20 years?

Just why are the City and Park District pushing concrete at Morgan Shoal and Promontory Point when there's so many other, better and more creative alternatives?

Art on the Revetment

11/4/2021

Chicago's Wilderness

10/27/2021

Ald. Hairston endorses Chicago landmarking of the Point!

10/3/2021

That's the Point: latest updates and news

9/30/2021

The Point recommended a Chicago Landmark

9/23/2021

Many thanks to all of you who wrote letters of support for the recommendation of Promontory Point for Chicago landmarking. We had a tremendous outpouring of support from all over the City. The Commission on Chicago Landmarks posted on its website the written public comments they received, and, wow, there are 90 pages of comments submitted in favor of landmarking the Point!! Read them here--they start on page 33: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Historic_Preservation/Agendas/Program_Committee_Public_Comments_22SEP2021.pdf

In September 2017, the National Register nomination of Promontory Point came before the Commission on Chicago Landmarks and passed unanimously before it went to Springfield and finally Washington DC for final approval and listing on January 19, 2018. The Point, however, was never approved as a Chicago Landmark so Preservation Chicago and the Conservancy are recommending Chicago landmarking of the Point too.

The Point recommended a Chicago Landmark

9/23/2021

Many thanks to all of you who wrote letters of support for the recommendation of Promontory Point for Chicago landmarking. We had a...

Point Clean-up, Sunday, 26 September 2021, 10:30am

9/23/2021

Please join us at a volunteer workday at the Point this coming Sunday, September 26, 10:30am. At the clean-up, we will again be working...

July 15th, 2022

9/23/2021

Many thanks to all of you who wrote letters of support for the recommendation of Promontory Point for Chicago landmarking. We had a tremendous outpouring of support from all over the City. The Commission on Chicago Landmarks posted on its website the written public comments they received, and, wow, there are 90 pages of comments submitted in favor of landmarking the Point!! Read them here--they start on page 33: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Historic_Preservation/Agendas/Program_Committee_Public_Comments_22SEP2021.pdf

In September 2017, the National Register nomination of Promontory Point came before the Commission on Chicago Landmarks and passed unanimously before it went to Springfield and finally Washington DC for final approval and listing on January 19, 2018. The Point, however, was never approved as a Chicago Landmark so Preservation Chicago and the Conservancy are recommending Chicago landmarking of the Point too.

Point Clean-up, Sunday, 26 September 2021, 10:30am

9/23/2021

Please join us at a volunteer workday at the Point this coming Sunday, September 26, 10:30am. At the clean-up, we will again be working to: 

cut back and remove the trees and vegetation in the revetment
pick up litter and debris on the east and west sides of the park
rake and move the very last erosion rubble back into the revetment

We will provide gloves, trash bags, buckets, tools and bottled water. Please wear work clothes and a mask. We look forward to seeing you at the Point.

Conservancy volunteers have done a thorough and outstanding job over the last four months moving rocks and rubble back into the revetment. Now the Park District can mow the grass. And people can enjoy the parkland and get to the revetment and the water. Many thanks to all of you who participated in this hard work. Great job!

We will have orange, Save the Point Again! work shirts for those who don't already have one. If you already have one, we can't wait to see you wearing it on Sunday! And we will have iconic bumperstickers and buttons. (If you don't know the history of Save The Point or of Save the Point Again!, read up at our website or drop us a question at [email protected].)

Photo by David Schalliol

Point Clean-up, Sunday, 26 September 2021, 10:30am

9/22/2021

The Point recommended a Chicago Landmark

9/22/2021

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