One of Chicago's most important links to its German-American history was proposed to City Council today for official landmark status.

The Germania Club, at 108 W. Germania Place on the Near North Side, is a particularly massive example of the ethnic, sporting, and political club buildings that proliferated in Chicago in the late 19th century, according to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, which recommends landmark designations to the Chicago City Council.

Designed by the architecture firm Addison & Fiedler and completed in 1889, the masonry and terra cotta building is noted for its grandly scaled Romanesque Revival and German Neoclassical exterior. Its four stories of meeting and dining rooms and other community-oriented spaces made it a focal point for the German-Americans that defined the neighborhood into the 20th century.

"The Germania has long been one of Chicago's most exceptional club buildings and a landmark designation would ensure it remains an important part of the community's character," said Mayor Richard M. Daley.

In addition to musical events, special dinners and galas, the club hosted many German celebrities and dignitaries including scientist Albert Einstein, composer Richard Strauss, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, conductor Herbert Von Karajan, boxer Max Schmeling and others.

By the 1950s, the neighborhood's German influence waned as club members relocated to other parts of Chicago and its suburbs. The building was sold when the club was dissolved in 1986. It is currently being proposed for a mixed-use rehabilitation project.

If the designation is approved by City Council, the building would be protected from significant alternation or demolition and be eligible for a variety of tax and financial incentives. The protected features would include its exterior elevations and its major interior spaces, including the first- and second-floor foyers, grand stairway, enclosed porch, ballroom, main dining room, solarium, and third-floor galleries.

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks approved the recommendation to City Council earlier this summer. The commission is a 10-member board responsible for recommending properties for possible landmark designation. Established in 1968, the board also reviews proposed work affecting designated landmarks and landmark districts. Staff services are provided by the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Zoning and Land Use Planning.