For immediate release August 7, 2000

Contacts: Steve Balkin, Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition, 312-341-3696 <mar@openair.org>; James Romanyak with the law firm of Hedlund, Hanley, and Trafelet, 312-441-8600

The Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition went into Federal District Court today as plaintiffs to argue for a temporary restraining order against the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois to stop the intended demolitions of historic buildings in the old Maxwell Street area. Demolitions were to have started today along Maxwell Street itself and on South Halsted Street.

The Coalition went into the courtroom of Judge Ronald Guzman with attorneys James Romanyak and Stephen Ma of the law firm of Hedlund, Hanley, and Trafelet. This is the law firm founded and managed by Reuben L. Hedlund, a former member and head of the Chicago Planning Commission. A complaint was filed for injunctive relief.

The judge asked the attorney representing UIC, Richard Friedman of the law firm of Earl Neal and Associates, to not begin the intended demolitions. The court proceedings will continue on Thursday, August 10 after UIC has handed over key documents to the Coalition's attorneys.

Says Roosevelt University Professor Steve Balkin, Vice president of the Maxwell Street Coalition, "We are grateful for the keen legal help we are receiving. The business people, building owners, shoppers, descendents of past residents, and blues musicians of old Maxwell Street are grateful too. Just last night I saw an old Bluesman with roots in the area put up signs on Maxwell Street with a prayer from the Old Testament. This history just doesn't want to die.

Balkin says further, "This is, after all, suppose to be a university campus. I can't imagine any college that would not want to have on their campus the birthplace or urban electric Blues and the region's most famous hot dog stands."

For more information about Maxwell Street visit the Preserve Maxwell Street website <www.openair.org/maxwell/preserve.html> and <cowdery.home.netcom.com/page24.html>

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