Victor F. Lawson House YMCA

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Victor F. Lawson House YMCA
Victor F. Lawson House YMCA.jpg
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Location30 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates 41°53′48″N87°37′46″W / 41.89667°N 87.62944°W / 41.89667; -87.62944 Coordinates: 41°53′48″N87°37′46″W / 41.89667°N 87.62944°W / 41.89667; -87.62944
Built1931 (1931)
Architect Perkins, Chatten & Hammond
Architectural styleArt Deco
NRHP reference # 100000959 [1]
Added to NRHPMay 8, 2017

The Victor F. Lawson House is a historic former YMCA building located at 30 W. Chicago Avenue in the Near North Side neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The building was built in 1931 for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, which was established in 1858 and had grown considerably during the 1920s. It was named for newspaperman Victor Lawson, one of the YMCA's largest donors until his death in 1925. The architecture firm of Perkins, Chatten & Hammond designed the 24-story building in the Art Deco style. The YMCA used the new building to provide affordable housing and community services during the Great Depression, including family programs that were copied in other cities, and the building became the headquarters of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago after World War II. [2]

YMCA worldwide organization

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries from 120 national associations. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by Sir George Williams in London and aims to put Christian principles into practice by developing a healthy "body, mind, and spirit".

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The building was sold to Holsten Real Estate Development Corp. for $1 in 2014 on the condition that it will continue providing affordable housing on this property for at least 50 years. Lawson House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 2017. [1]

National Register of Historic Places federal list of historic sites in the United States

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred in preserving the property.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 5/8/2017 Through 5/12/2017". National Park Service. May 19, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  2. Burian, Susan Baldwin (June 2016). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Victor F. Lawson House YMCA" (PDF). Illinois Historic Preservation Agency . Retrieved March 11, 2018.