The Commission on Chicago Landmarks refused to grant the building landmark status, clearing the way for its demolition. Those with ties to the 40th president oppose the decision.
“This is an opportunity to have this home as another tourist destination for them, reflecting the history of the only president born in the state of Illinois,” said Ann Lewis, who is on the board of directors of the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home and Museum in Dixon, Illinois, about 160 kilometers west of Chicago. Reagan spent most of his formative years there.
"He would be honored to have something in Chicago that reflected his name and part of his legacy in the state of Illinois,” Lewis said.
“If I was a Reagan person, I would probably be very upset,” said Daniel Weinberg, a presidential historian and owner of Chicago’s Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. The store honors the civil war president, who also lived in Illinois. Weinberg is not convinced Reagan’s Chicago home is worth saving.
“One can’t save everything, and he was very young and was only here for a couple of years. I understand that it's important, but what about every single place that he or any president lived?," Weinberg said.
The University of Chicago declined VOA's request for an interview. But Hyde Park Alderwoman Leslie Hairston says the school is communicating with her office and the community about a way to move forward with the demolition, while honoring President Reagan’s legacy in the area.
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2013-11-27
2013-11-27
2013-11-27
2013-11-27
2013-11-27
2013-11-27