Century and Consumers Buildings now on national list of ‘endangered historic places’

The National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Century and Consumers Buildings on South State Street to this year’s most endangered places list. (Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times)

The battle to save downtown’s vacant Century and Consumer Buildings from the federal wrecking ball received some welcomed national attention Tuesday, when the influential nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation named the century-old skyscrapers to its yearly America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list.

It couldn’t have come at a better time. The preservation group Landmarks Illinois named the buildings to its own most endangered list last week.