News Release

National Park Service Starts Work on Pullman National Monument Historic Administration Clock Tower Building

Date: September 24, 2018

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kathy Schneider, Superintendent; 773.468.3284 / [e-mail]
Sally Mayberry, Public Affairs Specialist, Denver Service Center; 303.969.2588 / [e-mail]

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CHICAGO, Ill. — The National Park Service (NPS) Denver Service Center (DSC) awarded a contract in the amount of approximately $2.2 million to local, small business Livewire Construction, Inc. for the roof replacement and window repair and replacement projects for the historic Administration Clock Tower Building located at 11057 S Cottage Grove Ave. Chicago, IL. This project is funded by the NPS and work is scheduled to start in October. The project will refurbish the existing windows and add new windows at the window openings that are now boarded-up with plywood.

“We are excited to start this first phase of projects to preserve and rehabilitate a key historic building that is a critical first step in realizing the public’s dream for the factory site complex,” said Kathy Schneider, Superintendent of Pullman National Monument. “We’ve been working closely with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, owner and operator for the surrounding factory grounds, to remediate and develop the site in preparation of building a visitor center. We’re thankful to our project partners, the National Park Foundation, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, and Alderman Beale and the City of Chicago, all of which are invaluable in getting us to the point we’re at today.”

After standing for almost 117 years as a Pullman landmark, the Administration Building was seriously damaged by a fire in December 1998. The State of Illinois reconstructed the building in 2005, but it has remained unoccupied since that time. The Administration Building became the designated site for a new Visitor Center when the Pullman Historic District became a National Monument in 2015. This project addresses roof leaks and sealing of the window openings, creating a weatherproof enclosure for the new Visitor Center.

There will be four total construction phases to this project starting with the Pullman Administration Building roof and windows project. That will be followed by site development to create a public park and other site enhancements and concluding with building a visitor center and exhibits inside the facility. The project team is targeting to have all phases complete by the summer of 2020. For more project information, please visit our project website.

“While I’m excited to see the clocktower renovation begin, I’m equally excited that the work will be performed by local contractors and laborers. We always enjoy sharing the Pullman story with the rest of world, and we also want to create opportunities in the community through this important project. This is the first in a series of significant upgrades that will occur in the next two years to greatly enhance Chicago’s only national monument and bring this amazing story to visitors from around the world,” said U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly.

The district was named a National Monument on February 19, 2015, making it a component of the National Park System. While the NPS owns the Administration Building, the State of Illinois owns the adjacent North Factory Wing and the surrounding property. The site is at the northeast corner of 111th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, directly north of the Hotel Florence. You may visit the monument website for more details.

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The mission of the National Park Service (NPS) is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Denver Service Center (DSC) serves as a central planning, design, and construction management office for NPS, providing start-to-finish project management and delivery. Visit Pullman National Monument, Denver Service Center or follow the DSC on Twitter.