More on the 150 significant structures

From the Quincy Herald-Whig:

Three of the state's most meaningful structures are found in Quincy, reports the Illinois Council of the American Institute of Architects.

The AIA released its "150 Most Significant Structures in the State of Illinois" this week. St. Boniface Church, the John Wood Mansion and the East Maine Street area were the three honored.

The 150 "great places" were chosen to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the AIA. The list, which includes historic and modern structures in cities and towns across the state, was compiled through nominations from architects and the general public.

"This puts us on the map again with our architecture," said Holly Cain, director of tourism for the Quincy Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. "This is really something great, something we can promote. Quincy is very unique because of all its different styles of architecture, and such an abundance of it ... and people here take great pride in that architecture."

Included among the selections were schools, churches, offices, courthouses and museums. Site choices were based on a number of criteria, including public accessibility, design and whether they are pedestrian friendly.

The sites designated will receive a plaque commemorating their impact on the community and will be featured on the organization's Web site at http://www.aiail.org/. A complete list of the 150 sites, including photographs and historical information, can be found at www.illinoisgreatplaces.com.

Nationally, the top five sites are the Empire State Building in New York City, the White House, Washington National Cathedral, Jefferson Memorial and Golden Gate Bridge.