Block Club Chicago
The Commission on Chicago Landmark recognized Sterling Bay’s rehabilitation of the Howard Building at 1000 W. Randolph St.Courtesy of Sterling Bay

‘Gold Standard’ Rehab Of Fulton Market’s Howard Building Honored With Preservation Award

Sterling Bay's $2.1 million restoration of the nearly century-old building was honored by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks.

Pilsen, Little Village, West Loop Primary category in which blog post is published
Mauricio Peña

Pilsen, Little Village and West Loop reporter mauricio@blockclubchi.org

See more

FULTON MARKET — Developer Sterling Bay’s rehabilitation of the Howard Building in Fulton Market has earned a preservation award.

On Monday, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks recognized 10 projects from across the city for excellence in preservation. The rehab of the Howard Building at 1000 W. Randolph St. for retail was among the projects recognized for “extraordinary design, craftsmanship and community impact.”

The Howard Building after Sterling Bay rehabilitation.
Courtesy of Sterling Bay

The two-story building was built by the architectural firm of Leicho & Esser in 1923 to attract merchants displaced from South Water Market.

Sterling Bay rehabilitated the vacant building with facade restoration and masonry cleaning. Other work included new windows, a revamp of the vacant storefronts and new mechanical systems.

“The Howard Building is an important anchor to the historic Randolph corridor and its rehabilitation serves as a gold standard for the rest of the district,” according to the Department of Planning and Development.

In 2016, the City Council approved a Class L property tax incentive, valued at $449,000 over 12 years, to support the $2.1 million rehabilitation of the building.

The Howard Building before rehabilitation.
Courtesy of Sterling Bay
The Howard Building before rehabilitation, left, and after rehabilitation, right.
Courtesy of Sterling Bay

A full list of the “excellence in preservation” award winners is below:

The awards, established in 1999, aim to recognize preservation and restoration efforts across the city.

The city’s Commission’s Permit Review Committee selected the winners from a pool of dozens of projects. All of the projects had to either have been designated Chicago landmarks or part of landmark districts to be eligible.

The Fulton-Randolph Market District was designated a landmark in 2015.

Do stories like this matter to you? Subscribe to Block Club Chicago. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.

Downtown Primary category in which blog post is published

CPS Dodged Reforming Police In Schools For Two Years, Inspector General Says. Now, District Vows To Do Better

For five hours Thursday, aldermen grilled CPS and CPD officials about why they failed to address concerns about police in city schools.

Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park Primary category in which blog post is published

Chicagoans Flock To Closed Beaches, But City Plans To Kick Them Out This Weekend

The city's "social distance ambassadors" weren't having much luck clearing Montrose Beach Thursday. “We tried telling them but they ignored us."

Englewood, Chatham Primary category in which blog post is published

Want To Stop The Violence? Keep Showing Up, Pastor Says While Bringing Food, Other Essentials To South Siders

The Trap Pastor will return to his outpost near Moran Park on Friday at 3:30 to give out hot dogs, hamburgers, groceries, masks and baby items for those in need.