Save the Iannelli building in Park Ridge

It's been called “A treasure beyond measure” by the Historic Preservation Committee of Park Ridge and “... the place where Chicago's creative architecture found its art between 1920 and 1965” by Tim Samuelson, cultural historian for the city of Chicago.

One day, it could do for Park Ridge what the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio has done for Oak Park — bringing people from all over the world who are interested in the roots of American Modernism to our town.

But Iannelli Studios is now in danger of being demolished to make room to build a few townhouses and Park Ridge may lose one of its most valuable historical buildings.

So why does this place matter? Its weather-beaten and neglected facade is just a superficial veneer covering the true magic of the place, according to Eric O'Malley, co-founder and contributor to PrairieMod.com. O'Malley says a rich archive of photos, drawings and original blueprints could be used to restore the building back to what it once was.

Even though Iannelli Studios may not look remarkable, it's what happened there, what it stands for, and what could be done with it — telling not only the Iannelli story, but the larger narrative of the artists' colony that flourished in Park Ridge at the turn of the 20th Century — that makes it worth saving.

Please help save it by contacting the Kalo Foundation in Park Ridge at www.kalofoundation.org.

Dick Barton

Park Ridge