Contact: 312.744.3200

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks (CCL) is responsible for recommending buildings, structures, sites and districts for legal protection as official Chicago landmarks. Staffed by the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), the commission is also responsible for reviewing proposed alterations to existing landmarks and districts, as well as proposed demolitions of structures considered to be historically or architecturally significant. Established in 1968, the commission has nine members that are appointed by the mayor with City Council consent. Meetings are generally held on the first Thursday of every month at City Hall, 121 N. La Salle St., Room 201-A and begin at 12:45 p.m.

Members

Upcoming CCL, Permit Review Committee (PRC), and Program Committee meetings may be hosted virtually per City Ordinance, state guidelines, and a recently adopted CCL rules amendment.

Rules for virtual CCL, PRC, and Program Committee meetings are available now for review. A brief summary of the public comment section of the rules is available below:

• Written statements are the preferred method of public comment and will be accepted up to 24 hours in advance of the meeting at ccl@cityofchicago.org.
• Verbal statements for all agenda items will take place at the beginning of each meeting, versus after each presentation.
• Members of the public wishing to speak must fill out a speaking request form. Forms must be submitted at least 48 hours before the meeting to ccl@cityofchicago.org.
• A maximum of 15 members of the public will be permitted to comment on each proposal due to technical limitations. Selected speakers will be chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each will be given instructions on how to provide up to three minutes of testimony.
• The PRC will meet immediately after CCL concludes and follow identical rules on public comment.

Questions on the rules can be directed to ccl@cityofchicago.org.

Click here to access the live stream on the day of CCL, PRC, and Program Committee meetings. To watch the January 2021 Program Committee meeting, see the instructions below.

Program Committee

*Meeting of the Program Committee:  Review of Suggestions** Received from the Public for Chicago Landmark Designation will be held:
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Live stream on DPD's YouTube page

**Deadline for submissions: Tuesday, January 19, 2021
All suggestions must be submitted on a suggestion form available on the Chicago Landmarks website at: http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/chicago_landmarks-publicationsandadditionalinformation.html

2021 Meeting Schedule

2020 Preservation Excellence Awards

DPD and the CCL hosted the annual Preservation Excellence Awards virtually on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The Commission honored nine unique projects with 2020 “Preservation Excellence Awards,” including the restoration of a former rapid transit building in Washington Park, the adaptive re-use of a former YMCA/YWCA headquarters on the Near West Side, and the mixed-use repurposing of historic structures in Pullman.

For more information on the winners, see the DPD news section.

Upcoming Public Hearings

Public hearings are distinct from regular commission meetings. Hearings are scheduled regarding certain proposed landmark designations, permit applications, or other processes and provide the opportunity for all interested persons to present evidence and testimony with regard to the matter under consideration. Hearings allow the commission to gather relevant facts and information to assist the commission in its decision-making process.

Upcoming public hearings for the Commission on Chicago Landmarks will also be held virtually in accordance with a set of rules effective July 27, 2020.

Aug. 18, 2020 10 a.m. - CANCELLED | Access the live stream on the day of the hearing

Members of the public interested in appearing at an upcoming hearing must fill out one of the forms below and submit it to CCL@cityofchicago.org. Those seeking party status by right or by request should fill out one of the first two forms, while the general public should fill out the third form. Questions on the process can be directed to CCL@cityofchicago.org.

• Public Hearing Appearance Form: Party as a Matter of Right (.pdf)
• Public Hearing Appearance Form: Party by Request (.pdf)
• Public Hearing Appearance Form: Statement of Interested Person (.pdf)