CHICAGO-
The oft-criticized renovation of Soldier Field has cost the stadium its status as a National Historic Landmark.
Former U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton signed the order removing the designation after an advisory board found that the new construction–which put a modern steel and glass bowl atop Soldier Field's signature colonnades–destroyed the historic character of the 81-year-old stadium, the National Park Service said.
"For national landmarks, we look more for restoration," park service spokesman David Barna told the Chicago Tribune for a story posted on its Web site. "This one crossed the line in terms of too much renovation."
The National Park System Advisory Board voted 5-3 in September that the $660 million makeover of Soldier Field completed in 2003 destroyed its historic character.
Chicago city officials had argued that the reconstruction added needed amenities without sacrificing the stadium's architectural integrity and expressed disappointment.
Chicago Park District spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner maintained that 90 percent of Soldier Field's architectural design was preserved.
But David Bahlman, president of the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, supported Norton's decision, saying "the 'Independence Day' flying saucer that dropped on top of Soldier Field" destroyed its historic architecture.
He said Soldier Field's loss will make city officials across the nation think more before major renovations of landmark sites.
About 2,500 properties across the country are designated national historic landmarks.
