Emergency installation of plywood over basement windows in Lincoln Home (HS-01)

To increase security in the Lincoln Home based on law enforcement reports, plywood was installed behind the basement windows of the Lincoln Home on a temporary basis. This was in response to security concerns about potential mob action around state capitol buildings on January 17 & 20th, 2021. Although the Lincoln Home was not mentioned specifically, it is located 7 blocks away from the Illinois State Capitol. To improve security, 1/2" thick plywood was screwed into the modern frames across the glass panes in the basement windows. The plywood was painted black on the outside to minimize the appearance of the plywood. The four basement windows were first installed in 1988 using reproduction wavy glass and pine for the frames. They have been repaired or replaced as needed since then. Each window also has a contact alarm wired into the security system that will trigger either if the frame is removed or any of the glass is broken. The plywood was screwed into the frames on either side using two screws per side. Due to the short turn around from the receipt of the security alert to the potential event 5 days later, these were installed as an emergency measure and are intended to be temporary. These will remain in place until a full security plan is completed for the Lincoln Home, scheduled for summer 2021.

Contact Information

Jason Taylor, 217-391-3235