Office of the City Clerk - Record #: O2018-88

• Record #: O2018-88
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• Intro date: 1/17/2018
• Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
• Final action: 2/28/2018
• Title: Historical Landmark designation for Old Chicago Main Post Office Building at 401-439 Van Buren St, 401-535 S Canal St and 400-436 W Harrison St
• Sponsors: Misc. Transmittal
• Topic: HISTORICAL LANDMARKS - Designation

Date	Journal Page Number	Action By	Action	Result
3/8/2018		Office of the Mayor	Signed by Mayor
2/28/2018	68875	City Council	Passed	Pass
2/22/2018		Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards	Recommended to Pass
1/17/2018	64146	City Council	Referred

ORDINANCE

Old Chicago Main Post Office Building 404 West Harrison Street (also known as 433 West Van Buren Street)
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2-120-650 of the Municipal Code, the Commission shall notify the owner of its determination with respect to the proposed Chicago Landmark designation within 45 days after receipt of the owner's consent; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2-120-690 of the Municipal Code, the Commission has reviewed the entire record of proceedings on the proposed Chicago Landmark designation, including the Designation Report and all of the information on the proposed landmark designation of the Building; and

WHEREAS, the Building meets the four (4) criteria for landmark designation set forth in Sections 2-120-620 (1), (4), (5), and (7) of the Municipal Code; and

WHEREAS, the Building is unique in the historic context of Chicago as the only surviving historic main post office building in Chicago. It is both locally and nationally significant for its role in mail delivery, a primary function of the United States federal government, and it exemplifies locally the significance of the United States Post Office Department to the city, state and nation; and

WHEREAS, as the main postal facility for Chicago between 1934 and 1996, the Building made possible efficient and comprehensive mail service for the city and its larger metropolitan area; and

WHEREAS, the Building was the nexus of activity for the transport of mail throughout the United States and was critical to communications in the United States in the age before the internet; and

WHEREAS, the Building began as a smaller, more modestly-designed United States Mail Building built to facilitate the delivery of parcel post in and through Chicago. Its location over railroad tracks along the west bank of the Chicago River's South Branch allowed ease of integration between postal service activities and the railroads that served this federal department, which continued with the construction of the...