Detailed plans have been revealed for the first phase of the City Church Chicago redevelopment at 138 S Paulina Street in the Near West Side. Sitting just east of the United Center on the corner W Adams Street, we initially covered its zoning application back in 2023. The project is being led by the aforementioned church with initial designs produced by Indiana-based Hutton & Hutton.
Site plan for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
Site context plan for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
The church was started in 2010 and currently meets at a small auditorium at 777 N Green Street in River West. However they are now looking to build a mixed-use complex in three phases per their updated plans to the Chicago Plan Commission. Overall the currently vacant site measures 41,227 square feet in size, bound by the CTA Pink Line tracks to the west.
Massing rendering for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
Phasing plans for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
Phase one will focus on the church’s new auditorium and site-wide ground floor spanning over 40,000 square feet in size. Its main entry will be on the southeast corner of the site and the structure will yield three stories and rise just above 40 feet in height. Inside will be a large lobby, kitchen spaces, multiple classrooms, multi-use space, and four parking spaces of which two are for pastors.
Rendering for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
Material section for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
The second and third floors above the auditorium will be the rest of phase one, having private rooms and back of house spaces for the church. Phase two will bring a two-story addition to the north end of the site to complete the structure, this will have additional classrooms, a full floor of church offices with conference space and a chapel.
Massing rendering for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
Massing rendering for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
A majority of the street-facing facade of the two first phases will be clad in glass with some precast accents, The area around the entrance will feature a massive LED screen as well facing the corner. Though it is unclear how the entrance will work, the third and final phase will bring a 12-story residential tower on the northern end of the site over the school and offices. This will hold 76 residential units of which 15 will be considered affordable.
Floor plans for City Church Chicago by LIVE design group
No on-site parking was shown on the plans, however it is likely the church will partner with some of the surrounding parking lots for this. The first phase will also come with an expected cost of $16 million, and while the third phase will require additional approval, it is unclear when phase two will be built. The project will go in front of the Plan Commission later this month.
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So at what point will this country grow the spine to start taxing these mega churches that perpetuate poverty, especially in low-income communities?
My neighbor used to go to a church in Texas in which the more you paid (donated), the closer you got to sit to ‘god’.
Does nothing about a MASSIVE LED SCREEN scream gaudy to the religious folk? Wanna help more lost souls? Maybe cut down on the electric bill. As for the parking… there is no doubt they will be extending the life of several of those surface lots for at least a couple decades.
To those that care more than just making a quick buck, open surface lots with minimal greenery are crime generators. The added literature on how they affect your health is ever more pressing. Fingers crossed the housing component can at least materlize.
Pastors used to live in the communities they served, but based on the reserved parking for them, I’m sure they don’t want to park their Mercedes with the ‘others.’
The irony of modern day mega churches will never not be sad.
Amen sister. This another parasite cult building a convention center, but as a yimby I do hope the tower element of the proposal materializes!
The catholic church has been running this hustle for like 2,000 years now.
And they certainly didn’t invent it.
It’s probably second only to prostitution in terms of the ages of various “professions”.
Hahaha love the comments here. Exactly. Especially considering how many abandoned churches are available all over the city they don’t care. It’s all about $$$
Why an architect from Alabama? We must be godless heathens up here.
The grift is always sweeter with a dash of southern comfort.
I’ve heard that a lot of these churches use architects and other vendors who are also religiously affiliated. They won’t even hire people who they don’t believe adhere to their religious teachings. I’m not sure if this Alabama architect is that, but edicts like that from these types of organizations doesn’t lead to the best or most thoughtful outcomes.
More likely the architect is doing the work for free as a donation in kind.
Reading the comments on this thread that are most likely from the architectural community, why wouldn’t they rather do business with other Christians. So much hate here.
A “church” building for profit housing?? Blasphemous!Only 15 of 76 unit affordable. Architecture is bound to suck. Shut it down, As mentioned. Plenty of empty churches around town. This is brazen Hypocrisy.
Just as there is a shift to large open floor plates in modern office buildings, many of today’s churches have theater style seating. This allows for more people to attend and enjoy a better experience.
So who are you to suggest they, “shut it down?”, So much hate here.
I couldn’t think of a more useless development than an ugly new church development. It’s not like Chicago doesn’t have tons of empty churches laying around in walking distance to this location…
This area is a blight on the city and it’s sad that’s this is what is going up. That cheap owner needs to do something with those lots and they should have been a nice mixed use mid/high rise building.
It is embarrassing and saddening to read comments such as are printed in comments ..? The minority who scream the loudest as though they represent the majority? We all know this is not the case but the majority strive to build bridges and keep peace… However, I could not read any more negative comments against a church being built in a Chicago community ?! Really? One who has faced all the destruction Chicago has experienced since Covid?! We need a light? A light of hope?! A safe place to be inspired, healed , restored ? Bridges to be built among the diverse communities , varied cultures and radical political differences?
Obviously the comments are not written by people who have real understanding of the city nor
The needs that need to be met so this city is equipped to be rebuilt?! Reckless comments are from people who have not read the history of Chicago very well ? The role DL Moody and his followers played in the successful rebuilding of the great Chicago after the destruction of the Chicago Fire?! True chicagoans who love this city and burn with desire to see it restored must acknowledge the strength the church has played in the rebuilding and transformation of intercity Communities across the world?! .. ! Thank God for Christian minded church going people that have a vision for rebuilding of American cities to be restored from the inside out!! New projects & developments lead by courageous God fearing leaders with big vision for progress should be celebrated and encouraged as they expend themselves, their resources & influence in an effort to restore and preserve the foundational truths and liberties that birthed free trade, private industry, energy resources , educational opportunities are all attributes that were a result of deep convictions and courage this country was founded on !!! Let’s be grateful for these efforts emerging in our city , stop the rhetoric and noisy negativity .
Nice post. The level of hate here demonstrates just how much a modern church with plenty of capacity is needed. But those with hate will never enter the door, because they too follow a religion. And from past posts, their religion seems to be based on worshiping mud and rocks with most of the surface covered in water.
Go church Go.!! we love the lighthouse , thank you for caring for our city and caring enough to establish this beautiful symbol of love in our inner city neighborhood!
These comments are so unfair. I think it is really unfair to dismiss a new church development as useless. Churches in general provide really valuable community services and support, regardless of their aesthetics or location. Plus, repurposing existing empty churches isn’t always feasible or practical. Criticizing a church for not being a high-rise overlooks the significance of religious spaces in city landscapes, and suggesting a blanket taxation totally overlooks the charitable work this church has already done/ will undertake. We should be addressing poverty at its root causes rather than vilifying institutions without considering their full impact!!! I think this is going to be a great development and such a positive contribution to our community which is so needed at the moment.
That is too bad. I was hoping we could raze that and use the whole city block to build the casino incorporating a pink line stop. Go with a sports/gambling district.
I currently live near this site. As with Soul City Church further east on Adams-I hope this new church will also be of benefit to the neighborhood with keeping the area cleaner and safer. The proposed phase III building needs to be lowered by a few floors.The proposed height is too much.