'We need to find an alternative': Preservation Chicago wants city to do more to protect historic structures from fires
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The walls are still being brought down at the old Antioch Baptist Church in Englewood after a fire last month, but that does not mean the fight to preserve its legacy is waning.
CBS 2's Steven Graves shows us the work being done keep its legacy alive and protect other historic buildings.
When Ward Miller with Preservation Chicago thinks about iconic city and Englewood architecture, he said this is it.
"This is really a remarkable first class structure."
So when the historic Antioch Baptist Church, which is not designated as a landmark, went up in flames last month, one of its biggest fans was devastated.
"It's another vacant lot in our city. It's another challenge to overcome," Miller lamented.
Chicago city inspectors and engineers said the building is too unstable to rebuild. Miller was fighting to save a tower, but he said the pastor told him it was too costly. He still comes to the site often to see if other parts can be saved.
"It's just a terrible loss to lose these structures time, and time again, to fire," said Ward Miller, Executive Director of Preservation Chicago. "And we need to find an alternative."
His organization is proposing that Chicago follow a decades-old New York City law, banning propane torch use on wooden roofs.
The practice is blamed for starting the fire at Antioch and Bronzeville's Pilgrim Baptist church back in 2006.
"If propane torches were made illegal by city ordinance, that would have never occurred," Miller said.
But roofers CBS 2 spoke to said the process remains the best way to make repairs, and if banned, would mean a price hike for consumers.
For now, the immediate focus of taking care of the history still in the city, according to Miller. In his mind, there's even the possibility of moving the Antioch congregation to the St. Martin de Tours church that's vacant sitting right off of the Dan Ryan in Englewood.
"I have had a conversation with the pastor about if this would be an interesting alternative," Miller said.
It's an option that would take time to implement, but could introduce new ways of thinking, to keep Englewood's iconic infrastructure alive.
Preservation Chicago is also working to designate more buildings as historic landmarks.
