September 13, 2024
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Woodstock Old Courthouse wins landmark preservation award

By Claire O'Brien
A couple walks past the newly remodeled Old Courthouse Center in Woodstock on Thursday, July 13, 2023, during a tour of the building.

A couple walks past the newly remodeled Old Courthouse Center in Woodstock on Thursday, July 13, 2023, during a tour of the building. The building won a Landmarks Illinois Award. (Gregory Shaver — gshaver@shawmedia.com/Gregory Shaver Shaw Media )

The Woodstock Old Courthouse has won a Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award, city officials announced.

“This prestigious program recognizes exceptional preservation efforts across Illinois, and we’re thrilled to be one of the nine winners this year,” the city wrote on its Facebook page last week.

According to the Landmarks Illinois website, the list of winners includes:

  • Havisham Bourbon, Brew & Spirits, Alto Pass, Award for Adaptive Use
  • Montgomery’s Place, Carterville, Award for Rehabilitation
  • Historic Lawson House, Chicago, Award for Rehabilitation & Richard H. Driehaus Legacy Award
  • Ramova Theatre, Chicago, Award for Adaptive Use
  • Salt Shed, Chicago, Award for Adaptive Use
  • The Terminal, Chicago, Award for Adaptive Use
  • 1212 Larkin, Elgin, Award for Rehabilitation
  • Midtown FAUST Company, Rockford, Award for Rehabilitation
  • Old Courthouse Center, Woodstock, Award for Adaptive Use

It’s not the first award nomination for the project, which wrapped up renovations last year. Earlier this year, the building was nominated for a Chicago Building Congress Merit Award, but lost to the Guinness West Gate Brewery in Chicago’s West Loop.

The award announcement comes days after the city finalized a lease agreement with Squire on the Square to fill the space vacated by Public House when it abruptly closed at the end of March. Squire on the Square is part of the same restaurant group as the Village Squire in McHenry and Crystal Lake. The eatery must open no later than Nov. 1, according to its lease agreement.

Since spring, the Old Courthouse also has seen the closure of DIY craft store Makity Make, but its Algonquin location remains open. The Records Department music store outgrew its space in the business incubator in the building and moved to a new location in town.

The city hasn’t yet announced new tenants to fill the Makity Make or Records Department vacancies. City documents indicate leases for new incubator businesses are scheduled to come up at the Sept. 3 City Council meeting.

Rising costs were among the challenges the city faced on the project. While the project was nominated in a category for the Merit Award with a $20 million cap, the final cost had exceeded that. City officials remain optimistic about the project despite the climbing costs.

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