La Lucé, the old-school Italian restaurant beside the ‘L’ at Lake, Ogden and Loomis is slated for demolition. This wonderful 1892 Queen Anne four-story building at 1393-1399 W. Lake Street includes a copper-clad three story turret and an ornate copper-clad projecting bay window.
Concern first emerged in summer 2016 when the restaurant was shuttered after 27 years in business. More recently, a “pre-demolition sale” was held to auction off antiques, historic fixtures, the La Lucé neon sign, and other restaurant artifacts.
The movement towards demolition has been slow which has provided additional time for preservation advocacy. Both during and after the expiration of the 90-Day Demolition Delay, Preservation Chicago continued to do outreach to potential preservation-oriented buyers. Despite some initial interest from buyers, the sellers have not been inclined to consider new offers. Future plans for the site are not known at this time.
Additional Reading
La Luce Co-Owner Reflects After 27 Years in West Loop, Ashok Selvam, Eater Chicago, 7/15/16
Demolition Imminent for 19th-Century West Loop Victorian, Curbed Chicago, Jay Koziarz, July 13, 2016