Northwestern University plans to sell the building, vacant for two years, to a condominium developer who applied for a demolition permit on Apr. 15. (Preservation Chicago)

Dozens of Chicagoans turned out for a rally last Sunday, signs in hand, to protest the demolition of the 80-year-old Lake Shore Athletic Club, which Northwestern University has contracted to sell to a developer with plans for high-rise condos on the site.

Toting signs with messages like "Don't be a dumbbell: Save LSAC" and "Landmark the Lakeshore Athletic Club," locals chanted, "L-S-A-C, save our Olympic History" and chatted with Alderman Brendan Reilly, the only person who can save the building. According to city law, the landmarking process begins with the local alderman's request to the city planning department.

The clock is ticking. Developer Fifield Realty applied for a demolition permit on April 15. Because the Lake Shore Athletic Club has a city-designated orange, or second-highest rating, a 90-day demolition delay was triggered when Fifield Realty applied for a demolition permit. That delay expires on July 15.

"What we have to convince the alderman is that [his request] doesn't mean in the end that the building is landmarked; it just gives more time for the community to understand more about the proposed development," says Lisa DiChiera, director of advocacy at the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, which placed the building on its endangered list in February. "We've seen some cases where the historic building is allowed to come down, and the plan falls through."

The 1927 Beaux Arts Mercantile Exchange Building, for example, was demolished in early 2003. In its place is an empty lot.

Northwestern University, which has owned the building since the 1970s, used it for student housing until 2005.

Designed by Jarvis Hunt (1864-1941), the Georgian-style building contains a swimming pool that many Olympic medal winners used. Johnny Weissmuller, best known for his Tarzan movies, swam at the 1928 Olympic trials at the club.

For more information, visit http://www.preservationchicago.org/risk/lakeshore.html

Click here to watch a video of the protest >>

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