Top Ten Reasons to Save Prentice Hospital

If you love Chicago, you love Marina City. And if you love Marina City, then you want to save its "sister" currently threatened with demolition -- Prentice Women's Hospital. Both were designed by Bertrand Goldberg; both are civic landmarks, unique to Chicago, and remarkable, memorable gems that give life to our urban experience.

Prentice contains the stories of people who were born there, worked there, gave birth there, or who saw Prentice as an old friend in the neighborhood. Both Prentice Hospital and Marina City tell us who and where we are.

Northwestern University wants to tear down old Prentice, which opened in 1975. They've replaced it with a new "Prentice Women's Hospital" nearby. On June 2, Chicago's landmarks commission was due to conduct a hearing to consider preliminary landmark status for Prentice; that hearing was cancelled at Northwestern's request. Northwestern said it would not apply for a demolition permit- for the time being- while city officials consider the issue.

Read my top ten reasons -- with images galore -- to save Prentice Hospital by clicking here.

Find out why they include:

1. Michelangelo
2. Women on Top
3. Matisse and meitosis
4. Millennium Park
5. The Temple of Heaven in Beijing
6. Frank Gehry
7. Shakespeare's Coriolanus
8. Grant Wood
9. Frank Lloyd Wright
10. Nelson Algren, who said of Chicago, and I say of Prentice, "You may well find lovelier lovelies. But never a lovely so real."

On June 14 at 6pm, the Chicago Architecture Foundation will sponsor Chicago Debates: Preservation. Reuse it or Lose it - about Prentice and other hot-button issues. Come be a part of the great debate. You'll find more information including the address of the venue and the lineup of speakers right here.
You can also sign this petition.