Evanston commission directs staff to study Lincolnwood’s site and urban-design significance

The Evanston Preservation Commission voted to direct staff to prepare a formal landmark report for Lincolnwood Elementary, narrowing the inquiry to planning/urban-design and the school’s distinctive location.

Stacy Barrett, assistant superintendent for District 65, told the commission she had found early title records dating to about 1910–1913 and a 1948 transfer of a 150‑foot western strip that appears subject to a deed restriction preserving that portion as playground or park. Barrett asked the commission to ensure that any report “accurately convey[s] shared Evanston history inclusive of the experiences of different racial groups.”

Community commenter Malia Gartzma urged the body to weigh social and racial history alongside architecture, saying preservation should not “take us backwards and not forwards.” Her remarks asked the commission to consider how landmarking connects to broader histories of displacement and public purpose.

Commission deliberations focused on whether Lincolnwood qualifies under ordinance criteria tied to planning/urban design (criterion 5) or as a familiar visual feature of the neighborhood (criterion 9). Several commissioners said the building itself is an undistinguished example of Georgian Revival and unlikely to meet architectural‑style criteria; others emphasized the site’s adjacency to Perkins Woods and the parcel assembly history as potentially significant.

A motion to have staff prepare the report under criteria 5 and 9 passed on a roll‑call vote. The record includes individual roll‑call responses for commissioners who spoke during the vote. Staff advised the commission it has 70 days to research, draft and bring back a report that will include a statement of significance and recommended designation language or a recommendation not to proceed.

Next steps: staff will gather deed and integrity evidence about the parcel (including the referenced easement) and prepare the written report for the commission’s consideration and eventual transmittal to City Council.