Ryan Field Demolition Delayed

[HappyNUyear]

Just made aware of this. The good news is NU has applied for a Demolition Permit and as the article states.........The state historic preservation office cannot permanently stop a project, but process will delay teardown

Ryan Field demolition must wait for preservation review - Evanston RoundTable

The state office cannot stop the rebuild from happening, but the review requires a temporary hold on the the teardown process.

evanstonroundtable.com

Ryan Field Demolition Delayed

 

[ubercat]

Where's Carter from Hogan's Heroes when you need him?

 

[zeek55]

Only really matters if the demolition can't start by Feb-March.

If it gets delayed past that, then yeah 2026 football season may be affected.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

Turk reported this last week.

 

[HappyNUyear]

Turk reported this last week.

Shocking, because he looks surprised on Fakebook

 

[Figrating]

I guess you gotta have the manana 'tude for major construction in the Chicago area. I'd prefer to see demo started the day after the last game. But nooooooooo, there's a some entanglement with state bureaucracy that won't be addressed for a few months. A few MONTHS!!!! Q: Why can't these mofos meet today and render their decision? A: Because everybody has to be paid off.

 

[phatcat]

I am feeling serious Ed Rooney vibes: " How would you feel about another year in Ryan field, Under phatcats close personal supervision?"

 

[FeralFelidae]

Just bulldoze the thing and then say, "Oops!" if anybody complains.

It's Northwestern's property, the stadium is run-down and not particularly aesthetically pleasing, and it's not a historical "first-of-its-kind" structure worth preserving. It's not the Yale Bowl.

 

[techtim72]

The neighbors are still hoping either an endangered bug is discovered in the open wall urinals or an indigenous native burial site is uncovered at the fifty yard line. Nothing stops a construction project like a grave. If a bulldozer driver who has been off work for awhile and needs the job sees one - no one else ever will.

 

[ohiovalleycat]

I used to manage a portfolio of apartment buildings. A decade ago we were held up from using federal funds to help with energy improvements due to the historic preservation review process. We had new energy efficient windows installed at multiple properties in my portfolio, except a couple that were on the national historic registry and/or in a historic preservation district. One property had to wait almost 3 years for their new windows primarily because the historic review process, then having to re-bid because we lost the original contractor for the job during the delay waiting for historic conservation reviews by state and local authorities that also had to be part of what was taken in consideration by the federal agency funding the work.

I have no clue if the Ryan Field review will encountered similar delays, but it is telling that our little window installation project was non-controversial and held for consideration of primarily aesthetic concerns, while Ryan Field involves a more substantial proposed demolition. Maybe they will expedite the Ryan Field historic review owing to the significance? However, I wouldn't be surprised if it caused a delay of a year or two or more. If it was a rehab, maybe not so much delay, but the demolitions do tend to garner attention.

 

[phatcat]

I used to manage a portfolio of apartment buildings. A decade ago we were held up from using federal funds to help with energy improvements due to the historic preservation review process. We had new energy efficient windows installed at multiple properties in my portfolio, except a couple that were on the national historic registry and/or in a historic preservation district. One property had to wait almost 3 years for their new windows primarily because the historic review process, then having to re-bid because we lost the original contractor for the job during the delay waiting for historic conservation reviews by state and local authorities that also had to be part of what was taken in consideration by the federal agency funding the work.

I have no clue if the Ryan Field review will encountered similar delays, but it is telling that our little window installation project was non-controversial and held for consideration of primarily aesthetic concerns, while Ryan Field involves a more substantial proposed demolition. Maybe they will expedite the Ryan Field historic review owing to the significance? However, I wouldn't be surprised if it caused a delay of a year or two or more. If it was a rehab, maybe not so much delay, but the demolitions do tend to garner attention.

It's probably one of a series of banana peels that the Evanston residents' lawyers will toss in front of the project.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I used to manage a portfolio of apartment buildings. A decade ago we were held up from using federal funds to help with energy improvements due to the historic preservation review process. We had new energy efficient windows installed at multiple properties in my portfolio, except a couple that were on the national historic registry and/or in a historic preservation district. One property had to wait almost 3 years for their new windows primarily because the historic review process, then having to re-bid because we lost the original contractor for the job during the delay waiting for historic conservation reviews by state and local authorities that also had to be part of what was taken in consideration by the federal agency funding the work.

I have no clue if the Ryan Field review will encountered similar delays, but it is telling that our little window installation project was non-controversial and held for consideration of primarily aesthetic concerns, while Ryan Field involves a more substantial proposed demolition. Maybe they will expedite the Ryan Field historic review owing to the significance? However, I wouldn't be surprised if it caused a delay of a year or two or more. If it was a rehab, maybe not so much delay, but the demolitions do tend to garner attention.

Your tax dollars at work.

Isn't democracy wonderful when a very narrow interest group with limited, if any, direct interest in private property can throw a monkey wrench into a big project like this, and not incur any cost for their actions? An old building that needs new windows somehow is deemed critical to the psychological comfort of a group that probably never even knew about the property until the owner applied for the building permit.

 

[zeek55]

I used to manage a portfolio of apartment buildings. A decade ago we were held up from using federal funds to help with energy improvements due to the historic preservation review process. We had new energy efficient windows installed at multiple properties in my portfolio, except a couple that were on the national historic registry and/or in a historic preservation district. One property had to wait almost 3 years for their new windows primarily because the historic review process, then having to re-bid because we lost the original contractor for the job during the delay waiting for historic conservation reviews by state and local authorities that also had to be part of what was taken in consideration by the federal agency funding the work.

I have no clue if the Ryan Field review will encountered similar delays, but it is telling that our little window installation project was non-controversial and held for consideration of primarily aesthetic concerns, while Ryan Field involves a more substantial proposed demolition. Maybe they will expedite the Ryan Field historic review owing to the significance? However, I wouldn't be surprised if it caused a delay of a year or two or more. If it was a rehab, maybe not so much delay, but the demolitions do tend to garner attention.

The main mitigating factor here is that Ryan Field was simply identified as eligible for listing in the National Register, it was never actually listed.

So theoretically the process shouldn't be anywhere near as strenuous as it would be for demolition or renovation of properties that end up listed as part of a historic district or something similar.

I won't be concerned unless this review goes beyond March; that's probably when it could start to affect the August 2026 opening timeline. This should be able to be wrapped up in a few months; that's the timeline the university is hoping for as far as this historical review goes.

I'd imagine the state would want to speed this along given the university is spending $800 million of its own funds on this project, and it will be one of the largest building projects in the state, so obviously good for the state's economy, but you never know with these things.

 

[techtim72]

Your tax dollars at work.

Isn't democracy wonderful when a very narrow interest group with limited, if any, direct interest in private property can throw a monkey wrench into a big project like this, and not incur any cost for their actions? An old building that needs new windows somehow is deemed critical to the psychological comfort of a group that probably never even knew about the property until the owner applied for the building permit.

There needs to be enabling legislation in place that requires/allows for a review. Having said that, in many areas there are processes in place that give extraordinary and arbitrary power to people who could care less about your ability to put your property to productive use. All good intentions run amok and not much different than the HOA board that doesn't like your shade of blue. Ripe for abuse. The other extreme is Houston where an Arby's can put their grease cans next to your outdoor deck.