Even as some Chicagoans are still coming to grips with the demolition of a vintage church in Ravenswood, another has been slated for demolition and redevelopment. In the Logan Square neighborhood, two demolition permits were issued on October 28 to raze the closed church at 2028 North Richmond Street and its adjoining school building at 2018 North Richmond.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
The school building still carries the markings of the Salem Christian School, an entity of New Life Community Church, who is named in the permits as the owners of both structures. The church’s most recent use was by IFGF Chicago, which recently relocated to the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 1701 North Richmond in Humboldt Park.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
The school building at 2018 North Richmond was also permitted for demolition. Photo by Daniel Schell
Four permits await in the Chicago Date Portal to build single-family homes on the site. Addressed as 2903, 2905, 2907, and 2909 West McLean Avenue. The first application shows a date of October 2, two are dated October 9, and the fourth, for 2903, is undated. Initial details indicate all four will be two-stories plus basements, with detached three-car garages accessed from the T-shaped alley off North Richmond. Mar Van Development LLC is named as the developer, with plans created by 360 Design Studio and general contractor duties assigned to V & M Development, Inc.
Stained glass on the south facade of the church. Photo by Daniel Schell
Mural painted on the back of the church next to the playground. Photo by Daniel Schell
2018 (left) and 2028 (right) North Richmond Street. Photo by Daniel Schell
As of October 30, there was no demolition fencing nor any sign of construction equipment on church property. It is not known when demolition will begin, when construction of the new homes will get start, not if they’ll be built concurrently or one at a time.
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Not happy, would have preferred a conversion of the church into some condos. The school can go, but should be replaced by more than two houses. We can see other multi-family buildings in the pictures, so a nice three story building could have replaced the school.
Ugh!
It would probably have been easier (and cheaper) to convert the school to residential than the church.
This neighborhood is uber hot from a R.E. standpoint. A few years ago a friend did a gut rehab of a frame property around the corner and it flew off the rolls at +1 million. So I could see someone with eclectic taste and lots of $ wanting a unique abode in a former church. Alas, from personal experience, conversions from commercial to residential is very pricey and very demanding.
That’s a really big shame! I would have loved to see the church converted into a residential building as we have seen a few other times in the city.
That is a beautiful church. Too bad, wish it would be repurposed instead of demolished.
Demolitions like this are why people hate yimbys
YIMBYs hate this too. It’s not enough housing to justify the demolition.
Being a YIMBY doesn’t mean you support every development no matter what. There’s still bad development even if you’re generally pro-building in one’s leaning.
Good GOD that is a loss.
We all know that total, utter, abysmal crap will replace this. Sad, sad, sad.
Good riddance.
I know church conversions are expensive, but these last two church demolitions (Ravenswood and Logan Square) are in high-demand neighborhoods. A creative developer could easily recapture the cost of conversion with renters/buyers willing to pay a premium for these spaces, especially in Ravenswood and Logan Square. What a loss.
There is no joy is losing the history and architecture, but it seems the church (meaning, the Christian believers), abandoned that building years ago. And even though it’s just a building, I would rather it be torn down than be a constant reminder of Chicago’s slide from Faith.
But we lose the old world craftsmanship forever. By preserving the structure, I would view it as a preservation of that, instead of the loss of something.
Another victim of RS-3 zoning. Despite the proximity to transit and in-demand location, this couldn’t have become anything other than SFH without a prolonged zoning fight.
The “put all the density on arterials and let single family dominate the inner streets” approach that we’ve enabled with our outdated zoning needs to stop. Let people build to meet demand. Otherwise, Logan Square will continue its speed-run towards looking like Lincoln Park and more people will keep getting displaced.
Losing this for 4 single family homes is a crime against the city. This should at minimum be 8 family sized units, & ideally far more. An abject waste of capital.
SFH with 3-car garages, blocks from an el stop. thanks, i hate it.
sad to see a beautiful building demolished for something boring and multi-family to go up when the restoration and revamping of the church could have provided some CREATIVE and beautiful solutions, also for multi-families – and the school bldg, easily replaceable, with something architecturally compatible. the school was unattractive from day 1. tragic.
Chicago is loosing its architectural history. I got pushback from my Ravenswood church demo comments. Alderman do have power to let it be known to developers that demos of high quality craftsmanship architecture in their wards is not acceptable. They can give them a little more FAR or other horse trades.
It doesn’t work that way. Give them FAR where?
The playground equipment looks almost new. Is it possible to get the contact info from the demolition permit to contact them about getting the playground equipment removed before demo? I know of several spaces and schools that would gladly accept it, if it could be coordinated!
The number in the permit for demo contractor Tir Conaill Concrete is (847)720-4853.