A wrecking crew tore down a house in the SoHiP (South of Highland Park) neighborhood in Oak Lawn this week. While the neighborhood does have one of Oak Lawn’s few neighborhood associations, no buildings in the area are protected with landmark designation.
This house was on Bowser Avenue, one door down from Douglas Avenue. Combined with an empty lot next door and zoning changes that encourage more density, the block will probably have double the number of residents within a year.
Last year, a 1920s apartment building was torn down several blocks away. Despite a neighborhood outcry, that historic building was torn down to be replaced by twice as many units in a nondescript building without any character.
