Pulaski Park Fieldhouse

Historic Preservation of a National Landmark

Farr Associates led the historic preservation and renovation of the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, built in 1914 and designed by the Illinois State Architect William Carbys Zimmerman (1905-1915). The craftsman, tudor-revival fieldhouse contains a variety of spaces including two gymnasiums, a black box theater, a former Chicago Public Library branch, a courtyard, and multiple verandas.

Our facility inspection and assessment report identified locations of deterioration, barriers to accessibility, and hazardous building conditions. We provided a detailed rehabilitation plan recommending the most efficient use of the park district’s budget, given the project’s focus on improved energy efficiency, accessibility, life safety, and preservation.

Client: Chicago Park District

Location: Chicago, IL

Role: Architect of Record

Size: 37,000 sf

Project Completed: 2025

Construction Cost: $3,000,000

  • BTL Architects: Facade Architect

    Stern-Joglekar: Structural Engineer

    Primera Engineers: MEP & Code Analysis

    Macrosite Historic Advisors: Historic Consulatant

    Specialty Consulting, Inc.: Environmental Testing

  • Pulaski Park Fieldhouse was a designated a Chicago Landmark in 2003 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

  • Chicago Park District: Pulaski (Casimer) Park

  • Public restroom with two sinks, mirrors, soap dispensers, and a black starry night themed partition.

    Updated Bathrooms

    Updates included new tile, partitions, ADA amenities, fixtures, and electric hand dryers.

  • Empty indoor bleacher seats with wooden flooring, and a partially replaced section of the floor in an athletic or gymnasium setting.

    Interior Accessibility Improvements

    Wheelchair seating was added to the gym mezzanine (shown pre-stain) and new ramps were installed throughout the building.

  • Underground construction site with exposed pipes, concrete, and metal brackets, marked with orange spray paint.

    Micro Piles

    Separate permits were required to introduce footings/micro piles in basement and repair concrete cracks.

  • Close-up of two side-by-side arches on a building, with one showing chipped and peeling exterior paint on a wooden column, and the other with a freshly painted, smooth column.

    External Repairs

    Before (left) and after showing repair of rotting wood, repainting, shimming gaps in structure.

  • The image shows a brick building with a green sloped roof and three small dormer windows. There is a sign on the right side that reads "Pulaski Park" and "Chicago Park District." The building has a large arched entrance and several smaller arched windows. In front of the building, there is a sidewalk with a black metal railing and a concrete ramp with a handrail. To the right, there are stairs with a similar railing.

    New ADA-compliant railing and ramp

  • Comparison of a damaged brick wall with cracks and a new, intact brick wall.

    Masonry Updates