Agreement Enables Eugene S. Pike House Foundation to Access $1.5 Million State Grant and Begin Work
CHICAGO (Jan. 16, 2026) – A landmark partnership agreement, unanimously approved on Tuesday, Jan. 13 by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, has set in motion the long-awaited rehabilitation of the historic Eugene S. Pike House on the grounds of the Dan Ryan Woods on Chicago’s South Side.
The long-term partnership agreement will enable two community-based not-for-profit organizations – the Eugene S. Pike House Foundation and Beverly Area Arts Alliance — to rehabilitate the long vacant house owned by the Forest Preserves, and repurpose it into the Pike House Community Cultural Center, offering cultural and creative arts programming and residencies where artists, writers, and musicians throughout and beyond Metropolitan Chicago can come to complete creative projects.
The Cook County Board’s authorization of the groundbreaking partnership agreement with community stakeholders is the crucial final step required for the Foundation to accept a $1.5 million capital grant from the State of Illinois, sponsored by Senator Willie Preston (16th District). The agreement also marks a historic first for the Cook County Forest Preserves, establishing a new model for community-driven preservation and reuse of historic structures on public land.
Funds from the state grant will be used for critical repairs covering Phase 1 of the project. The Foundation is currently raising funds needed for Phase 2. The project is expected to take three years to complete.
photo courtesy of Timothy Samuelson
“This is more than the preservation of a building; it is the reclamation of history for public benefit,” said Commissioner Stanley Moore. “By forging this unprecedented path with the Forest Preserves, we are not only saving a piece of Beverly’s heritage but are also creating a blueprint for every community in Cook County to follow. This proves that with partnership and perseverance, we can transform neglected assets into thriving centers that celebrate our past and serve our future.”
Commissioner Moore has been a champion of Eugene S. Pike House Foundation and Beverly Area Arts Alliance project from its beginning nearly four years ago.
“This long-term partnership agreement marks a pivotal moment for the preservation of the Eugene S. Pike House and one many years in the making,” said Kendra Parzen, Advocacy Manager for Landmarks Illinois, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting historic sites statewide.
“Since including the property on our 2022 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois list, we have been proud to partner with the Eugene S. Pike House Foundation and the Beverly Area Arts Alliance to prevent the loss of the architecturally significant site. We commend their persistence and unwavering dedication to transform and revitalize a long-vacant landmark, creating a vibrant cultural center for the community,” continued Parzen.
“It was getting the Pike House included on Landmarks Illinois’ ‘Most Endangered’ list that was the catalyst for forming the Foundation and partnering with the Beverly Area Arts Alliance to submit a proposal to the Forest Preserves for saving and repurposing the house,” said Grace Kuikman, president of the Eugene S. Pike House Foundation. The Foundation and Alliance’s proposal was accepted in 2023 when negotiations began to form a first of its kind long term partnership to rehabilitate and transform the Pike House into a cultural center and arts residency.
Built in 1894 for Eugene S. Pike, a prominent real estate developer who helped to rebuild Chicago following the Great Fire, the Pike House (1826 W. 91st St., Chicago) was designed by noted architect Harry Hale Waterman. The structure is part of the Ridge Historic District, one of the largest urban districts on the National Register of Historic Places and holds an important spot in the history of Chicago and the South Side. Since 1921, it has been part of the Dan Ryan Wood Forest Preserve, and was used for many decades as the Watchman’s Residence.
For more information or to donate, email info.eugenespikehouse@gmail.com.