History of Hanna v. City of Chicago

By kategardiner

  • Albert C. Hanna buys his home, 541 Deming Pl.

    Albert C. Hanna, now 78, purchased his home on Deming Place 44 years ago.

  • Landmarks Ordinance Passes

    The Landmarks Ordinance establishes a nine-member commission on Chicago landmarks. The commission is now staffed by the Landmarks Division of the Department of Planning and Development. The commission meets monthly and has so far designated more than 250 Chicago landmarks and 51 historic districts. Together, the ordinance, and its subsidiary ordinances, affect more than 9,000 property owners in the city of Chicago.

  • Chicago Historical Resources Survey

    In 1983, a 12-year project was implemented to document buildings constructed in the city before 1940. It was published in 1996, and identified more than 17,000 properties that, reads Hanna's brief, could be considered potentially significant; one of those homes was 541 W. Deming Pl. At the time, the property was noted as 'orange,' or potentially historically significant.

  • Mrowka buys her home, 1022 N. Winchester.

    Plaintiff Carol C. Mrowka buys her home in East Village.

  • 541 W. Deming Pl. is Downzoned

    The Chicago City Council downzones 541 Deming Pl. and the surrounding 17-acre neighborhood. In his brief, written by attorney Thomas J. Ramsdell, Hanna claims the city's boundaries for the downzoning are similar to those ultimately used to determine the area of the Arlington-Deming Historic District now in effect. The zoning shift, from R5 to R4, restricts the property to six units, instead of nine.

  • Hanna v. City of Chicago, 1998

    Hanna's first lawsuit regarding a zoning ordinance change that he said negatively affected his property values. He charged that the city had illegally downzoned his property to R4, from R5, which is more restrictive.

  • Hanna v. City of Chicago, 1998

    Hanna's lawsuit against the city is upheld, and the Arlington-Deming neighborhood's downzoning is thrown out by Judge Sidney Jones.

  • Ald. Manny Flores (1st) initiates downzone ordinance in East Village

    According to Hanna's brief, Ald. Flores introduced an ordinance to downzone East Village from R4 to R3, which would have limit further development to single-family homes in the gentrifying neighborhood.

  • Arlington-Deming Neighbors Founded

    According to Hanna's brief, the group was formed to "inform owners about preservation and about the architecture and history of their homes." Hanna said this was an operation organized by the Zoning Committee of the Park West Community Association.

  • Daley recommends preliminary Arlington-Deming Historic District

    According to Hanna's brief, Ald. Vi Daley recommended the Arlington-Deming District to the Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division for designation as a landmark district.

  • Mrowka's home, 1022 N. Winchester

    The Landmark Commission identified the home of Carol Mrowka as a contributing structure in the East Village Historic Structure on July 7, 2005. It was built in 1891 and according to Mrowka, has been rehabilitated and maintained over the past 110-plus years.

  • Landmark Commission's Recommendation

    According to Mrowka's brief, 103 of 195 property owners in the then-proposed East Village Historic District returned their request for consent forms, 55 owners consenting.

  • East Village Historic District Designated

    The Chicago City Council declares the East Village Historic District a historic landmark district, encompassing some 300 homes.

  • Arlington-Deming Historic District added to Landmark database

    According to Hanna's brief, before the Arlington-Deming district was officially one of the city's landmarks, the area was added to the city's database as such.

  • Arlington-Deming Declared Landmark

    Arlington Deming was officially declared a landmark by the commission on this date; the official report from the commission stated that the area met at least three criteria for becoming a landmark.

  • First Amended Verified Complaint filed with Circuit Court of Cook County

    Plaintiffs Mrowka and Hanna file their most recent brief with the Circuit Court of Cook County. They appeal its initial dismissal to the Illinois Appellate Court, where it is found to have merit.