Former Textbook Headquarters In Glenview Makes Endangered List

GLENVIEW, IL — The former headquarters of the Scott Foresman textbook company that was built in 1966 in Glenview and that is now up for sale in has made the list of the most endangered historic places in Illinois by a not-for-profit organization that hopes to preserve locations facing demolition around the state.

The building, which was designed by architect Jerry Johnson of Perkins & Will, is located at 1900 E. Lake Ave. The former Scott Foresman headquarters has been vacant since last year and is being recognized by Landmarks Illinois because of its Midcentury Modern design while being situated within a “peaceful campus setting”, according to the organization .

The site is facing foreclosure, the group said, and is being marketed for a single-family residential redevelopment, which Landmarks Illinois said would be permitted by village officials. However, the group said, the site should be prioritized for re-use, which would preserve its “important suburban design legacy.”

The former Scott Foresman headquarters are one of eight historic locations included in Landmarks Illinois’ 2021 list. Other places include the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago, the Joliet Steel Mill main office location, and Klas Restaurant in Cicero, among others.

Scott Foresman moved out of Chicago and onto the 44-acre Glenview campus in 1985. The company changed ownership several times in the 1980s and into the 2000s, Landmarks Illinois said. The property was acquired by Inland Real Estate Corporation in 2006.

The corporate headquarters includes four buildings with more than 255,000 square feet of space and is linked together with glass-enclosed walkways. The complex is now less than 20 acres and includes three outdoor plazas and a fountain pool which were built to provide employees with tranquil outdoor spaces, according to Landmarks Illinois.

The site was being used by Savas Learning until June 2020 after the company was leasing the property from Inland Real Estate, according to Landmarks Illinois. The owners have been struggling to make their mortgage payments since then, the organization said on its website.

“The fate of the Scott Foresman site is symbolic of the ongoing uncertainty over the future of high-end, modern designed suburban corporate campuses,” Landmarks Illinois wrote in the description of the property on its website. “The pandemic has given further incentive for companies to downsize their real estate footprints as many companies will continue to allow employees to work remotely in the months and years to come.

“While corporate campuses remain desirable by some companies and would serve well as sites for learning institutions, many will be redeveloped for residential or commercial use, posing big suburban land-use questions regarding zoning changes and storm water challenges."

The Landmarks Illinois list of endangered historic places are locations around the state that are threatened by a lack of proper maintenance due to neglect or insufficient repair. These locations are facing demolition or redevelopment and Landmarks Illinois is working to preserve the historic nature of these locations.

“Communities are passionate about their historic and culturally significant places, yet too often lack the resources necessary to maintain and preserve them,” Bonnie McDonald, president & CEO of Landmarks Illinois said in a news release. “(The list of places) demonstrates the demand for creative solutions, partnerships and incentives to give places of our past a chance for reuse and renewed life.”