05/24/2022
Exterior renovations begin soon!
Reposted from AltusWorks Architecture.........
An exciting piece of history is being preserved in Chicago’s East Side neighborhood. The Schlitz Tied House, now known as the East Side Tap Chicago, is being lovingly restored to its former pre-prohibition glory, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it! 🍻
The last couple of years have been a whirlwind for the Queen Anne style structure with historic Tudor Revival-style alterations at 9401 S. Ewing Ave! Plans to restore the tavern back to its original roots began in 2020, when it was purchased by devoted owners Mike Medina and Laura Coffey Medina, who worked tirelessly to secure its local landmark status in the same year. In 2021, they engaged AltusWorks to prepare a comprehensive building assessment to budget for and prioritize the restoration work – and using information from our assessment, the owners applied for and won one of the City of Chicago’s 12 Adopt-A-Landmark grants! But rest assured, during this time the building did not sit fallow, as the bar area was featured in Season 4 of FX Networks’ dark-comedy-crime drama Fargo.
While the owners diligently restore and update the residential, bar, and event spaces, we are preparing restoration documents to restore the building’s historic exterior – which is where the grant money is being used. We highly commend Mike and Laura for their vision to faithfully preserve and restore the building’s stunning original spaces, features, and materials. Our scope of services focuses on:
🔹 Repointing the signature terra cotta globe and other terra cotta elements
🔹 Repairing or replacing the brick and limestone façade materials
🔹 Replacing select windows on the street-facing facades, including a bay window, to match the original (the owner is also hoping to procure and reinstall the original stained-glass window)
🔹 Designing a cost-effective solution to match the metal coping and parapets
🔹 Replacing the aged roof system to meet Illinois’ required energy code
With construction anticipated to proceed this season, we can’t wait to update you on its progress!