Historical landmark designation for Roger Brown Home and Studio at 1926 N Halsted St

Votes › Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards

• Record number: O2026-0024658
• Type: Ordinance; category: Historical Landmarks
• Status: Final
• Sponsor: Misc. Transmittal
• Committee: Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
• Introduction Date: Apr 15, 2026
• Final Action Date: May 20, 2026
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Passed May 20, 2026

50 yea, 0 nay. On motion of Alderperson Villegas, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of May 20, 2026.

Yea (50): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (claude-opus-5-5) from the ordinance text only: O2026-0024658 Ordinance.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This ordinance makes the Roger Brown Home and Studio at 1926 N. Halsted Street an official Chicago Landmark. Roger Brown was a founding member of the Chicago Imagists, an art movement, and he made much of his work in this building from 1974 to 1995. The ordinance protects the building's outside features but still allows an already-approved plan to convert it into a home.

• Designates the Roger Brown Home and Studio as a Chicago Landmark under two criteria in the Municipal Code.
• Protected features include all outside walls and rooflines visible from public streets and sidewalks, plus the historic Daily News sign painted on the north brick wall.
• On February 5, 2026, a Commission committee approved, with conditions, a plan to convert the two-story studio and gallery into residential use.
• The approved plan includes replacing non-historic brick at the parapet, replacing the front exterior stair door, adding a roof deck with stair access, and interior work; this work is allowed despite the landmark protections.
• The Commission on Chicago Landmarks is directed to create a plaque identifying the building as a landmark.

Who: The owners of the building at 1926 N. Halsted Street are affected, since future exterior changes will require landmark permit review, except for the already-approved conversion project.

Where: 1926 N. Halsted Street, Chicago

Timeline

• Apr 15, 2026: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
• May 19, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
• May 20, 2026: Passed, City Council (50 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Villegas, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed.

Documents

• ZLB 5-19-2026.pdf (Committee Letter)
• O2026-0024658 Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)
• O2026-0024658 Transmittal Letter.pdf (Miscellaneous)
• O2026-0024658 Ex A.pdf (Exhibits)
• O2026-0024658 Recommendation.pdf (Miscellaneous)

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