When History Is History: Maxwell Street, Integrity, and the Failure of Historic Preservation Law

As part of its $500-million expansion, the University of Illinois, Chicago Campus, is expanding its present campus south over the area that includes historic Maxwell Street, Chicago\u27s entry point for disparate ethnic and racial groups. Interested parties sought to have the area declared a historic district under the National Historic Preservation Act in order to prevent demolition of many buildings in the area. The nomination was subsequently rejected by the keeper of the National Register, after the city of Chicago recommended against nomination due to Maxwell Street\u27s blighted condition. This Note explores historic preservation law in general and as it relates to Maxwell Street specifically, concluding that culturally and historically significant properties of minority groups must be afforded increased protection from local political pressures. This Note concludes by proposing statutory guidelines that local governments should follow in order to properly implement federal historic preservation laws and regulations