Three former North Side elementary schools were designated as official City of Chicago landmarks by City Council today.

The former Stewart School building at 4524 N. Kenmore Ave. in Uptown is noted for a modern exterior and functional interior. Designed by architect Dwight Perkins and completed in 1907, the red-brick and gray-limestone trim building serves as a fine example of an early transitional Prairie Style building that echoes 19th century Revival styles with a pitched roof and wide, bracketed, and copper-clad eaves. The school is named for businessman and civic leader Graeme Stewart.

The former Peabody school building at 1444 W. Augusta Blvd. in West Town reflects Romanesque and Queen Anne styles with progressive visual Arts and Craft elements. The school’s exterior materials include finely-detailed and crafted ornament in stone, molded brick and terra cotta, trimmed with a pressed metal cornice. Constructed in 1894 and designed by architect W. August Fiedler, the school contains several elements influenced by the work of Louis H. Sullivan, including its stone arch entrances. It’s named for educator Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, a noted advocate for early-childhood education.

The four-story brick and limestone Motley school building at 739 N. Ada St. exemplifies late 19th century school design ideals with large windows and high ceilings that provided airy and well-lighted classrooms. Designed by the Board of Education’s in-house architect John J. Flanders with an addition by Norman Smith Patton in 1898, the 1884 structure combines historic Chicago school architecture with Renaissance Revival and Italianate style decorative details, including an original pressed metal cornice. The school is named for John Lothrop Motley, an American historian, novelist, and diplomat.

The Peabody and Motley school properties were purchased in 2014 and 2015 respectively by Svigos Asset Management and are being converted into market-rate housing.

All three school structures were closed in 2013 due to underutilization. The designations were recommended by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks in July 2016.

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