Riis Park Fieldhouse Improvements Awarded Excellence in Historic Preservation Above $5M

F.H. Paschen is excited to announce that the Riis Park Fieldhouse Improvements project was awarded Excellence in Historic Preservation Above $5M by the AIA Illinois Board of Directors.

Built in the 1930s, the Riis Park Fieldhouse is a historically significant building within the Chicago Park District and contributes to the park’s certification on the National Register of Historic Places. F.H. Paschen partnered with SMNG A Ltd. and Associate Architect, Forma Architecture to preserve the building’s historic elements, including the windows, copper roof, brass lighting, wall panels, and decorative trim.

This $11.5 million renovation project focused on restoring the building envelope, including the installation of a new roof and gutters, along with repairing doors, windows, and masonry. Site work included ADA upgrades to the main entrance and landscape improvements. Interior upgrades consisted of the reconfiguration of the main and lower levels, restoration of the historically significant main lobby and second floor auditorium, and HVAC and MEP upgrades. F.H. Paschen replicated the original wood trim profiles and constructed new entryways to match the existing design in the lobby. All existing wall panels in the lobby were also repainted.

Two significant components of the Riis Park Fieldhouse Improvements project were the historic windows and light fixtures. F.H. Paschen restored the original multi-pane, steel-framed windows. We retained the steel frames, removed the original glass panes, and upgraded the windows with double-insulated, energy-efficient glass. The steel frames were then stripped and repainted. F.H. Paschen carefully removed the brass light fixtures throughout the building and sent them to a specialist who spent over a year restoring existing and replicating missing fixtures. Once complete, the old and new light fixtures were reinstalled.

The Riis Park Fieldhouse includes multi-purpose club rooms, an auditorium with a theatrical system, a new teen room, and upgraded art room. This space serves the Belmont Cragin community as a venue for events, Park District programming, and recreational activities.