The former Park View Lutheran Church, currently being demolished in Irving Park.
There are four new single-family homes coming to the Irving Park neighborhood, as demolition crews have already begun demolishing the Park View Lutheran Church & School that stood on the site. Most of the school is already gone; the church, built in 1929, hasn’t been started yet. But it will vanish soon as well.
The parish house at 3921 North Monticello. Will it be saved?
In its place will be four new single-family homes from
MK Construction & Builders of 2000 North Milwaukee Avenue. MK’s website touts 3400-3800-square-foot, 2-story masonry structures. There have been four building permits on file with the city since July and August, showing that each home will include a two-car garage. MK Construction will act as its own general contractor. The homes are designed by
Pro-Plan Architects of Streamwood, IL.
At 3921 North Monticello stands a parish house connected to the church. A demolition permit issued in August included 3913 through 3921 to be demolished, but the latest demo permit names only for 3913. No response yet from MK Construction as to whether or not 3921 will be saved or destroyed.
This rendering from MK Construction & Builders shows the homes coming to 3913-3919 North Monticello.
Nothing stirs the emotions like demolition of an old church, and since I was told I couldn’t take or post any photos of this demolition, here’s a huge gallery of them, because get over yourself, dude.
** I received an email this morning from the marketing director at MK Construction, who informs me 3921 will NOT be demolished.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
What happened to the beautiful stained glass windows? Will another church receive them?
Here you go: http://www.urbanremainschicago.com/news-and-events/2016/10/26/urban-remains-methodically-extracts-park-view-churchs-munich-style-tryptych-windows-executed-by-drehobl-brothers/
Were any photos of the inside of the church and school taken before demolition?
I know some were taken during demolition, but I don’t know who took them, or where to find them. I don’t know about before demolition started, aside from the photos in the link I shared to the previous comment.
My little one went to Park View Lutheran school from pre-K thru 3rd grade. We loved it so. It breaks my heart every time I drive by. What a shame.
May father was the pastor at Park View from 1955 to 1973 and I grew up in the parsonage next door. Those were very happy times and it is very sad to see that the church has been demolished. I am glad to learn that the beautiful stain glass windows have been taken down before the demolition.
Oh my gosh, Lousanne – I remember your dad so well! He was our pastor when I went to Park View in the 60’s. Pastor Halverson. Adored him. <3
Your dad married my parents (1961) and baptized me and my brothers. I went to the old neighborhood today and wanted to show my elder daughter (as well as a cousin visiting from Sweden) the church and was shocked to find it was gone! So sad. 🙁
Buildings like this are part of the fabric of communities; they are landmarks that give us a sense of place and continuity, even if we have no direct connection with them or their purpose. Weddings, Christenings, and funerals were held in this place. Easters and Christmases too, with all related memories still echoing in lives still being lived. Wonderful that the windows were rescued, a shame that some other church doesn’t buy them all for use in a new building, the collection kept intact.
To see a similar destruction of a church, Google “Holy Trinity Church Boston”. Holy Trinity was founded by German Catholic immigrants in the 19th century, and is reputed to have been the place where the first Christmas tree in the U.S. was put up. Despite having an active congregation and not being in debt, the building was sold by the archdiocese. It wasn’t torn down, but it was “destroyed” nevertheless, first being stripped of all interior elements, then having a large, modern, ugly steel and glass “tower” grafted onto it, filled with condos.
Park View Lutheran was a huge part of our lives. My grandparents were married there (in 1949!), and I attended Sunday School every Sunday, and Vacation Bible School every summer (cherry Kool Aid and Salerno butter cookies!). Our pastor was Pastor Halverson — such a wonderful man. So glad I saw Park View when I was in Chicago in 2013. Hard to believe it’s gone now. 🙁