This plain text page will be updated frequently. To go back, click your browser's "Back" button. September 15, 2005, 6:00PM PUBLIC MEETING The Chicago Park District will present their plan which rehabs the point in quite a bit of concrete. Show up and voice your opinion! South Shore Cultural Center, 71st @ South Shore Drive. Public transit on either #6 Jackson Park bus, or Metra train. Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 00:04:56 -0600 From: Jack Spicer Subject: PROMONTORY POINT Dear Friend of Promontory Point, A letter circulating in the community has caused some confusion regarding the position of the Community Task Force for Promontory Point. The letter being circulated does not represent the views of the Task Force, and we feel it is a step in the wrong direction for the community and for Promontory Point. The city's current proposal to rebuild the Point in concrete, with two steps of limestone, is not preservation by any standard. Consistent with our mandate from the community, the Task Force will continue to pursue a true preservation plan and is committed to working with the city, through the mediation process, to achieve this. We understand that there are serious concerns in the community that the city will walk away from the needed repairs at Promontory Point. The city suggested that they could "possibly" lose federal funding, or that funding may "decrease," if the community doesn't quickly agree to the city's non-preservation plan. They have also stated that a preservation plan would fail to meet the Army Corps engineering standards. We take these concerns very seriously, but we have strong reasons to believe that they are unwarranted. And we feel that the vast majority of responsible people in the community would choose preservation over concrete if there were no danger of losing the federal funding. Our Congressman, Jesse Jackson Jr., has consistently and firmly backed preservation at Promontory Point. He stated last week: "I stand with the community, committed to preservation of the limestone revetment at Promontory Point, and I will not allow the federal funding to be used for anything less. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) requires preservation, but even if it didn't, the community does and I do." In conversations with Alderman Hairston and the Task Force, Congressman Jackson has assured the community that "next year's Army Corps appropriation will have funds earmarked for preservation at Promontory Point." Preservation does meet Army Corps standards. The Corps itself confirmed that "the step-stone plan was analyzed from an engineering, economic and environmental perspective and was shown to be feasible" (p. 285, Illinois Shoreline Erosion, Interim III, 1994.). The Corps then signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), requiring that "the design and construction of the revetment will match the existing" (p. 253). The MOA was required by the National Historic Preservation Act, and is a legally binding document. The city is bound by that document, which is part of federal law. The city signed the MOA, twice. Representatives from the Corps, from the national Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, also signatories to the MOA, have stated in no uncertain terms that the MOA must be followed. The greatest risk of losing federal funding for the Point comes from pursuing a design that does not conform to the explicit terms of the MOA. It is clear that the city's plan for the Point does not meet the Congressional mandates for preservation, and would violate federal law. The city's plan is therefore not legally fundable with federal money. Preservation is. The city's plan does not meet the construction and design standards that the Corps has committed to in the MOA. Preservation does. The Army Corps is already scheduling portions of the Shoreline Project for 2006 and final decisions about funding for 2005 won't be made until January 2005. There is plenty of time to finalize a preservation plan for Promontory Point. Clearly, now is not the time to stop advocating for preservation at the Point. Hard work and strong advocacy have moved the city ever closer to preservation. Over 2500 people have signed a petition for preservation. Over $60,000 has been raised for the effort. Countless letters of support have been written to the Mayor. Preservation's list of supporters--individuals, organization, and elected officials--is long and growing longer. The Community Task Force remains committed and willing to work until the city again agrees to preservation, as they promised in the MOA and as the mandate the Task Force received from the community demands. Executive Committee The Community Task Force for Promontory Point Fred Blum Bruce Johnstone Jack Spicer Connie Spreen Date: Fri, 06 Feb 2004 15:00:35 -0600 From: Jack Spicer Subject: PROMONTORY POINT Dear Friend of Promontory Point: As reported in last week's Hyde Park Herald, talks between the Community Task Force for Promontory Point and city agencies have broken down. This failure was not an impasse brought on by a disagreement, but rather the result of city officials' sudden issuance of an ultimatum and their subsequent declaration that talks were over. Talks began last August, with the formation of the Promontory Point Working Group, which included the Chicago Park District, the Department of the Environment, the Community Task Force, and a mediator, Jamie Kalven. The working group met for over five months, and at a cost of over $10,000.00. Significant progress was made. Most importantly, the City has at last agreed that there are no engineering issues that prohibit reconstruction of the Point in limestone. Talks were progressing, and were close to resolution: At the recent meetings, discussion focused on establishing a Design Team, made up of both community members and city representatives, to craft a preservation design for the Point. In fact, the city agreed that their engineers would work with the Task Force and the mediator's engineers to begin that process. But the city reneged on that agreement when the city's engineers would not meet with outside engineers. Instead, they worked unilaterally and developed their own "options" for the Point. Their "options" amount to a declaration against preservation designs. That conclusion was the basis for the city's ultimatum, which required the community to accept a non-preservation design - the same design, in fact, that the city had last July, before talks started - or the city would end talks and table the project. The city claims to be committed to preservation, but they are pushing a non-preservation design. They claim to value community input, but they refused to allow time for the Task Force to discuss the ultimatum with our community. And, most importantly, they claim to be dealing in good faith, but they have engaged with us dishonestly. From the beginning, the city has been dishonest about their objections to preservation at the Point. The Task Force has always asked for honest, respectful dealing from the city. Instead, we have gotten a series of fabricated excuses for their opposition to a preservation design. We have heard that limestone is no longer available, that limestone cannot be cut, that accessibility issues mandate an all-concrete Point, that limestone design cannot be constructed, that limestone won't last past "the first summer storm," that a limestone design cannot be engineered, and that a limestone design costs too much. With each excuse, this community has carefully researched the issue, consulted with experts in the field, and proven, again and again, that the city's claims are false. Now they say that maintenance and construction of a limestone preservation design costs too much. This is simply the latest in the series. Independent coastal engineers and cost consultants have concluded that maintenance and construction costs will be reasonable, and well below the city engineers' inflated estimates. The new Parks commissioner, Tim Mitchell, has taken his post. We hope that he rejects the return to the days of threats and ultimatums from city officials. The Community Task Force calls on Mr. Mitchell to bring the city back to the table and resume talks, openly, cooperatively, and honestly. The work at Promontory Point is still governed by the Memorandum of Agreement, signed by the city in 1994, which mandates preservation. The city must live up to its promise to preserve the Point. Former Parks commissioner David Doig remarked more than once that he had underestimated the passion of our community for the preservation of Promontory Point. Recent developments in our effort to save the Point only reinforce the need for that passion - expressed with strength and resolve. The Community Task Force stands firmly with our community - committed to the preservation of the limestone revetment at the Point. Jack Spicer Connie Spreen Bruce Johnstone Fred Blum Executive Committee Community Task Force for Promontory Point Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 13:30:26 -0500 From: Jack Spicer Subject: PROMONTORY POINT Dear Friend of Promontory Point - As you may know, the Community Task Force for Promontory Point and the three governmental agencies involved in the revetment project - the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Department of Environment and the US Army Corps of Engineers - have agreed to meet with the assistance of a mediator. Our hope is that this process will allow for creative collaboration between the community and the three governmental agencies and lead to a plan we can all be proud of. The first meeting was held last Tuesday (8/5) and the mediator's report is attached. The report, and other material, is also posted on the mediator's web site at: During the next few meetings we will be focusing on four design issues - water access, access for persons with disabilities, preservation of the limestone revetment and durability. During the past two years many, many of you have expressed yourselves on these issues at meetings, by letter and in conversation. Your comments and ideas are the true basis for a successful process and an excellent design. If you have more to say now on these design issues, please email us at: Thanks again for helping to Save the Point, Executive Committee Community Task Force for Promontory Point Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 12:34:58 -0500 From: Jack Spicer To: jack Spicer Subject: PROMONTORY POINT UPDATE Dear Friend of the Point - On last Friday (7/25), at a meeting hosted by the South East Chicago Commission, the Chicago Park District presented a revised plan for its intended work at Promontory Point. The Park District's revisions include preservation in limestone blocks of the top two (of four) step levels and the use of textured, tinted concrete in other areas. At that meeting Greg Lane and Jack Spicer, representing the Community Task Force for Promontory Point, proposed that the Task Force and the Park District (including the Chicago Department of Environment and the Army Corps of Engineers) begin a series of joint working meetings. These meetings would be an attempt to work toward a plan that would be acceptable to both the community and the Park District. The meetings would be supervised by a paid, neutral facilitator who would prepare a written report after each meeting. These reports would be available to the public and the press. This proposal was accepted by the Park District and by the other members of the Task Force Executive Committee (Connie Spreen, Fred Blum and Bruce Johnstone) and the meetings are scheduled to begin the week of August 3rd. (For additional information see Saturday's Sun-Times or today's Tribune or the Task Force web site at .) We feel that the revisions offered by the Park District are an important and welcome step in the direction of a better process and a better plan. The Task Force remains committed to genuine preservation of the limestone revetment, to outstanding accessibility for all persons with disabilities, and to a broad range of swimming opportunities at Promontory Point. And most important, we are committed to an open, public process that will result in a plan supported by the community. Thanks again for your active and continued support. Executive Committee Fred Blum Bruce Johnstone Jack Spicer Connie Spreen Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2003 11:51:07 -0500 From: Jack Spicer Subject: PROMONTORY POINT Dear Friend of Promontory Point-- You may be aware that the Chicago Park District has publicly announced that they intend to proceed with their plan to rebuild Promontory Point with concrete and steel. And they intend to start their work this fall. The Community Task Force has asked David Doig, the Park District Commissioner, to back off of this aggressive position. We have asked him to publicly re-state his commitment to working with the community to reach a consensus and to reassure us that he will not begin construction without community approval. Many of you have e-mailed in the last few days expressing deep concern and promising individual, angry action if the city moves forward with its plan. This e-mail is to let you know what we are currently doing, and to assure you that some avenues of cooperative, diplomatic effort remain to be exhausted. It is more important than ever that we maintain the composure and dignity that has characterized the Community Task Force for Promontory Point and the Save The Point effort from the very beginning. The Task Force will continue to seek positive, cooperative dialogue with the Park District. We have just received a preliminary report from Charles Shabica, one of our coastal engineers. Mr. Shabica is preparing an engineering review and a cost analysis of the preservation plan presented by the Task Force architects, Frank Heitzman and Wayne Tjaden. Mr. Shabica concludes that the Task Force plan is structurally sound and can be built. His work is impeccable and exceeds Army Corps standards. Please join us on Sunday, July 13, at Noon at the Point Field House for the release of our final preservation feasibility report. Our architects and engineers will be there to explain the plan and answer questions. We continue to work with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency in Springfield. They are responsible for ensuring that the revetment project complies with the National Historic Preservation Act. They have recently stated publicly that the Park District's concrete and steel design is in violation of the 1993 Memorandum of Agreement which is part of the federal law and mandates preservation of the limestone revetment at Promontory Point. The Agency intends to ensure compliance. This week the Park District will present its plans to the South East Chicago Commission, the University of Chicago's neighborhood development group, for endorsement. In the coming weeks the Task Force will present its plan as well. Please write Valerie Jarrett (President, South East Chicago Commission, 1511 E. 53rd St, Chicago, IL, 60615) to express your support for preservation. The SECC may endorse the community's preservation efforts, as so many other community groups have. Many of you have already written to Mayor Richard Daley (Chicago City Hall, 5th Floor, 121 N. LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60602). If you have not already done so, please write him now. It really will make a difference. Most important, the effort to save Promontory Point is a reflection of the community's passionate and extraordinary support for preserving this magnificent park. The Community Task Force remains committed to our community and to the preservation of the limestone revetment at Promontory Point. Executive Committee, Community Task Force for Promontory Point Fred Blum Bruce Johnstone Jack Spicer Connie Spreen GET YER POINT T-SHIRTS JULY 4 WEEKEND * Thursday, July 3, at the Point, from about 7:00 to 9:30 pm, before the fireworks * Friday, July 4, at the Hyde Park Bank parking lot, from 9:00 to 10:30 am, before the parade * Friday, July 4, at Nichols Park, after the parade * Saturday and Sunday, July 5 & 6, at the Point, noon to 4:00(?) Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2003 15:37:34 -0600 From: Jack Spicer Dear Friend of Promontory Point, The effort to preserve and restore Promontory Point is moving forward. Cyril Galvin presented his engineering report to the community on October 1. He concluded that preserving the limestone revetment at Promontory Point was technically feasible and very affordable. Since then our preservation architects, Frank Heitzman and Wayne Tjaden, and a nationally recognized expert on access for persons with disabilities, John McGovern, have been refining Mr. Galvin's basic structure. Their plan includes access for persons with disabilities and water access for swimmers. The architects have completed preliminary drawings and will present their preservation plan for review by the community at a public meeting on May 1. During the coming weeks we would like to show the plans to as many community groups, organizations and individuals as possible. The more people who contribute ideas while the plan is developing, the stronger the plan will be. If you are part of a church, club, condo board, school, community organization or other group and would like us to meet with you to hear your reactions and suggestions, please contact us. (jackspicer@earthlink.net or 773-324-5476.) We'd like to meet with as many groups as possible before the May 1 community meeting. Our goal is to work with the Chicago Park District to preserve Promontory Point. The Park District has recently said, "We're not going to start digging out there without an understanding from the community." Alderman Leslie Hairston has been very supportive of the task force's efforts to preserve the Point's limestone revetment and she continues to urge the Park District to cooperate with the community. Thank you for your support. Fred Blum Bruce Johnstone Jack Spicer Connie Spreen Executive Committee, Community Task Force for Promontory Point POSTPONEMENT: The meeting announced for Wednesday October 30, 2002 at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, will not occur until the comment period for the engineering report is complete. Watch this space for the new date announcement. Your humble webmaster regrets the inaccurate information. Engineer Cy Galvin is now accepting comments about his report. Read portions of it now, and also use the link to send him email. Go back to the main page and click on "22 questions". Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2002 09:31:06 -0500 From: Jack Spicer Subject: Important Public Meeting/Promontory Point Dear Friends of Promontory Point, Please join us for the presentation of the Coastal Engineer's Report on the Promontory Point revetment: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1 7:30-9:00 PM HYDE PARK UNION CHURCH 1169 E. 56TH ST. (SW CORNER OF 56TH ST. AND WOODLAWN) Cyril Galvin, coastal engineer, will present his report which examines the Chicago Park District/Army Corps of Engineers' concrete and steel revetment plan, and outlines an alternative plan for the preservation and repair of the existing limestone revetment at Promontory Point. Mr. Galvin will respond to questions. As you know, the Chicago Park District and the Army Corps of Engineers plan to wrap the Point with a new revetment made of concrete and steel. The section to the north of the Point, from 51st to 54th Streets is finished already. The step structure they've built there is ugly, dangerous, and disturbingly unlike the natural stone it replaced - this is no longer a place for people. We fear that their plan to "save" Promontory Point will actually ruin this Chicago landmark. Along with hundreds of concerned community members, the Task Force for Promontory Point has been fighting this plan for over a year. As a result of these efforts the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois placed the Point on its "Chicagoland Watch List" of the most endangered sites in the metropolitan area, and the Park District has agreed to suspend construction until at least April 2003. This delay gives the Park District and the community time to develop an alternative plan to protect the beauty, usefulness, and historic character of the Point. The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation recognized the importance of this effort with a grant totaling $25,000. Hundreds of generous citizens and local businesses have contributed an additional $20,000. The Task Force used some of this money to commission Mr. Galvin's engineering study of a limestone-based alternative to the concrete and steel plan. We hope that Mr. Galvin's conclusions will help the Park District, the Corps of Engineers - and the City of Chicago - adopt a true preservation plan for Promontory Point. Community Task Force for Promontory Point Executive Committee Fred Blum Jack Spicer Bruce Johnstone Connie Spreen Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 Subject: Petitions to the Mayor Dear Friends of Promontory Point, As you know, we have been working for the past two years to preserve our beloved limestone shoreline at Promontory Point. However, you may not know that citizens on the Northside have been working just as hard to save their shoreline from the City's concrete and steel revetment plan. On next Tuesday, September 17, the Northside community will present petitions to Mayor Daley to save the "Belmont Rocks" -- the stretch between Diversey and Belmont. Their announcement: LAKEFRONT PETITIONS On Tuesday, Sept. 17, 1 PM, Derek West (chairman of SELVN Lakeshore Protection Committee) and I will lead a delegation including representatives from Lakeview and Hyde Park to present petitions with 2000 plus signatures to the Mayor (or some representative) at City Hall. Text is simple: "The last two stretches of Chicago's beautiful limestone step shoreline are in jeopardy. Please help us save the Belmont Rocks and Promontory Point in Hyde Park. We want the rocks, not concrete runways!" By the way, the independent technical studies commissioned by the Hyde Park Coalition at over $40,000 cost (funded by Driehaus foundation and more than matched by grass-roots contributors) will be made public at end of Sept. or beginning October. Bob Clarke, President, South East Lake View Neighbors 773.281-5164 Derek West: derekwest@mindspring.com, tel. 773.968-1222 We encourage as many of you as are able to attend this important event: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1 PM MAYOR'S OFFICE, CITY HALL 121 N. LASALLE The Task Force for Promontory Point Executive Committee Fred Blum Bruce Johnstone Jack Spicer Connie Spreen Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 Dear Friends of The Point, Announcing a Promontory Point Task Force Meeting Wednesday, July 24, 7:00-9:00 PM Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, 5480 S. Kenwood The Task Force, in cooperation with The Hyde Park Historical Society, has hired a preservation architect to help in the effort to preserve the limestone revetment at Promontory Point. Mr. Frank Heitzman will complement the work of Mr. Cy Galvin, the coastal engineer already hired by the Task Force. Mr. Heitzman will be at the meeting to introduce himself and explain the planning process. In addition, there will be brief reports on fund raising, Pebble Beach, the coastal engineer's work, the Landmark Preservation Council of Illinois' listing of The Point on its Chicagoland Endangered List, etc. Please come, all are welcome. Fred Blum Bruce Johnstone Jack Spicer Connie Spreen Executive Committee, Task Force for Promontory Point Date: Monday July 15: Access to the point is going to get a little harder this summer. You will need to cross Lake Shore Drive at the 57th Street or 51st Street overpasses only, while the 55th Street underpass is rebuilt. Read the article in "In The News". Date: Tuesday July 2, 2002 Two new Hyde Park Herald articles in "In The News". Come join us on the north edge of The Point to watch the fireworks in Grant Park, on the evening of Wednesday July 3, 2002. Bring binoculars and a radio tuned to WFMT. It's a long-time Point tradition! Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 Dear Friends of The Point, It's been a great week for The Point - o The Landmark Preservation Council of Illinois placed The Point on its "Chicagoland Watch List" o Mr. Cyril Galvin, the coastal engineer hired by the Hyde Park Historical Society and the Community Task Force, completed a three day examination of The Point o Fund Raising to save The Point has reached the $40,000. mark. The Landmark Preservation Council, a private preservation organization and leading advocate for the preservation of historic buildings and sites, has identified The Point as one of the City of Chicago's ten most endangered historic places. The purpose of the list is to raise public awareness and to support local advocacy efforts. This is good news for The Point. The reputation of LPCI is very strong and extends statewide. With this designation, the Council endorses the community's effort to save The Point. As Jennifer Gullota, advocacy coordinator for LPCI is quoted in the June 26 edition of the Herald, "We wanted to lend our support to the community, to what makes [The Point] a special place - the limestone." Cyril Galvin, coastal engineer from Virginia, made his initial visit to The Point last week. Mr. Galvin was hired to examine The Point, review the Park District's concrete and steel plan (similar to the new revetment just north of The Point at 54th St.) and make engineering recommendations as to how best to preserve The Point's limestone. On Tuesday morning (6/18) Galvin made aerial photos of the entire lakefront from a private airplane and that afternoon met with Joann Milo, Army Corps of Engineers manager for the revetment project, to discuss The Point. In the evening he addressed the board of the Hyde Park Historical Society. Alderman Leslie Hairston was present and once again expressed her support for preserving the historic limestone at The Point. Mr. Galvin spent his other two days at The Point studying the structure and watching people enjoy their beautiful park. In his spare time, he examined two crates of engineering documents provided by the City's Department of Environment. He intends to complete his study by late August and will return to Hyde Park to present his findings to the community at a public meeting. At the Tuesday evening Historical Society Meeting, the Treasurer announced that community contributions (and pledges) to the "Save the Point" fund had reached $15,000. This makes a total, combined with the $20,000 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation grant and the $5000 matching grant, of $40,000. The Task Force intends to use some of this money to hire a preservation architect. The architect will take the engineer's report and, after helping to present it to the community, will then assist the community in explaining to the City and the Corps of Engineers how The Point and its limestone can be preserved. And don't forget that "Save the Point" bumper stickers are still available^ืand free. Just send your name and address as a reply to this email. Similarly, if you want to be more active in the Save the Point effort, we could really use your help. Just let us know. Community Task Force Executive Committee Fred Blum Bruce Johnstone Jack Spicer Connie Spreen email: info@savethepoint.org