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Latest News

Our 2025 Annual Theme: Places of Worship

Interior view of North Shore Congregation Israel; Architect: Minoru Yamasaki

Credit

C. William Brubaker Collection, University of Illinois Chicago.

Featured News

Our 2025 Annual Theme: Places of Worship

December 19, 2024

News

March 03, 2023

National Register Rejection Halts Thompson Center Preservation Work

After a precipitous, seven-year rollercoaster of preservation initiatives, the National Park Service has rejected a nomination of the James R. Thompson Center to the National Register of Historic Places. The rejection was primarily due to objections by the site owner, Prime Group.

Advocacy, StarshipChicago, Chicago, Thompson Center, Postmodernism, national register

News

January 12, 2022

The future of the Thompson Center is looking brighter

On December 15 the preservation world received some unexpected good news about the long-threatened James R. Thompson Center: Governor Pritzker had chosen a developer whose proposal for the site includes retaining the structure as a mixed-use property with office, retail and hotel space. There is still a long road ahead but this is a huge step in the right direction.

Advocacy, StarshipChicago, Chicago, Thompson Center

News

July 26, 2021

Thompson Center recommended for listing in State and National Registers

On June 25, 2021, the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council, voted unanimously in support of the James R. Thompson Center nomination to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. 

StarshipChicago, Chicago, Thompson Center, Advocacy

News

January 21, 2020

The Postmodern People's Palace must be repurposed, not demolished

A coalition of preservation groups including Docomomo US have signed on to a letter to Ernst & Young in support of finding a buyer who will preserve the James R. Thompson Center. 

Advocacy, StarshipChicago, Chicago, Thompson Center

News

October 26, 2019

Thompson Center advocacy continues

Seems like the Thompson Center has been in the news a lot lately - here's an update on our favorite downtown starship.

News, Advocacy, StarshipChicago, Chicago, Thompson Center

News

April 12, 2019

High Profile Organizations Sign Letter of Support for Thompson Center

Efforts to save Helmut Jahn's postmodern Thompson Center, dubbed "The Starship" for its futuristic appearance, have intensified amidst Governor Pritzker's announcement that the state will put the building up for sale. A group of ten high profile organizations have signed on to a letter urging the State of Illinois to support landmark status and #SaveOurStarship.

Newsletter, Advocacy, StarshipChicago, Thompson Center

News

March 13, 2019

Modern sites top "Endangered" lists

Although long overlooked, in recent years threats to sites of Modern heritage have been gaining a higher profile. Just in the past month, they topped two "most endangered" historic sites lists in Oklahoma and Chicago.

Endangered, News, Advocacy, Thompson Center

News

October 11, 2018

Save our Starship

A rally was held on Sept. 25th in an effort to bring attention and gain support for nominating Helmut Jahn’s controversial James R. Thompson Center in Chicago to the national register. View the slideshow and sign the petition today!

Newsletter, Threatened, Advocacy, Preservation, docomomo, StarshipChicago, Thompson Center

News

November 09, 2017

Starship Chicago

Watch the digital premier of Starship Chicago - a documentary on Helmut Jahn's James R. Thompson Center. 

Newsletter, Advocacy, Thompson Center

In the media

May 15, 2017

Chicago Architect Magazine Ed Keegan Op-Ed on Thompson Center

Ed Keegan argues why the State of Illinois Building should remain a public asset in the May/June issue of Chicago Architect Magazine.

Endangered, Threatened, Thompson Center

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