GAR Hall near the top in preservation voting
Supporters of Aurora's Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall put up a good fight, but their efforts weren't enough to clinch first place -- and thus a guaranteed grant -- in a historic preservation contest.
The downtown building, though, still could be awarded a piece of the total $1 million pie in rehab funds available through the program, leaders say.
The GAR Hall, a tribute to Civil War Union soldiers, competed with 24 other Chicago-area historic sites for grants in the American Express Partners in Preservation contest.
Starting Sept. 6, residents could vote daily online for their favorite landmark. The contest ended Wednesday.
The On Leong Merchant Association Building in Chicago's Chinatown appears to have finished first in the balloting, garnering 14 percent of the vote.
That means it's guaranteed to receive its $118,000 rehab request, American Express spokeswoman Joanna Lambert said.
Geneva's Viking Ship is poised to take second, with 12 percent of the vote.
The GAR Hall appears to have placed ninth, securing about 4 percent of the vote. Thousands of people supported the hall, though final numbers haven't been released, Lambert said.
An advisory committee will review the other 24 requests and decide how to split up the $1 million, she said. In last year's San Francisco contest, judges awarded funds to 13 of the 25 sites.
The popular vote winner will be announced today, and a full list of grants will be unveiled Nov. 13.
Aurora leaders asked for about $94,000 to restore the hall's stained-glass windows.
"I'm still optimistic we might be able to obtain some funds," said Jan Mangers of the Aurora Preservation Commission. "Placing in the top 10 is great, considering the competition we had."
Lambert said many sites launched big marketing campaigns using blogs and networking sites.
"While money is important, especially to the sites, what also is great is the awareness being raised about the importance of preservation," she said.
The GAR hall was built in 1878 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was closed a few years ago because of safety concerns.
City leaders have committed to rehabbing the hall, and work on an estimated $3 million renovation could start next month.