Category Archives: Church

Saint Boniface Catholic Church Gets a Demolition Permit

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Saint Boniface Catholic Church

Saint Boniface Catholic Church in Noble Square.

Sadly, we saw this coming, didn’t we.

Saint Boniface Catholic Church, at 905 North Noble Street in Noble Square, was issued a demolition permit by the City of Chicago yesterday. The church was built in 1904, and has been empty since 1990.

The demo permit lists “Saint Boniface Senior Living” of Oak Park as the property owner. That might give us some insight as to what to look for next on the site once demolition is complete.

Crunch Incorporated will perform demo work. That almost sounds cruel.

New Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Begins in Near North

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A render from Dixon + Associates of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 822 North Clark Street.

At 822 North Clark Street in the Near North neighborhood, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is building a new 7-story church. Designed by architect David Dixon of Dixon + Associates in Salt Lake City, the new project started stirring up dust back in May, when the City of Chicago filed a foundation permit. (A tower crane permit was also filed in May, more than two weeks before the foundation permit.)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Rendering courtesy of Dixon + Associates.

Mr. Dixon sent the following about the new church development:

The new building in Chicago is unique for the Church.

While they typically complete a new standard single-story meetinghouse every day somewhere in the world, this project is specifically designed for Chicago.  Following the Neoclassical Romanesque Revival style of architecture, the building will incorporate the traditional red brick and limestone appearance that is prevalent in this area of Chicago.  It will be six stories above grade (three meetinghouse and three parking levels) with a partial story of parking below grade.  The building will open in about a year with a two-story chapel and associated classrooms. The top floor can accommodate another smaller chapel and classrooms in the future.  Three or four congregations from the downtown area will utilize the building with staggered meeting schedules.  A unique feature of this building is a landscaped courtyard on the fourth story.  The courtyard provides semi-private outdoor space that could be used for receptions, mingling between meetings, or children’s activities.  Plans were presented to the local neighborhood and were very well received.

McHugh Construction will handle the general contractor duties. As you’ll see in the photos below, piles have been driven, and a tower crane has been planted.

The Benchmark, A Half-Victory For Preservation in Lincoln Park

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The Benchmark Chicago

The unmistakable gap-toothed smile of a building that knows it’s escaped the wrecking ball. 2746 North Magnolia will be the centerpiece of The Benchmark.

A church at 2750 North Magnolia Avenue that stood since 1884, deemed “not worth saving,” was demolished in March. As with any demolition of a church, that didn’t sit well with many folks. But a small victory was won with the preservation of the parish house next door, at 2746 North Magnolia, which was released from the City of Chicago Demolition Delay Hold List on Wednesday, as it’s in the midst of a complete overhaul into a single-family home.

A joint effort from Noah Properties and Sergio & Banks Real Estate is erecting The Benchmark, a 5-building development that will see single family homes constructed on either side of the existing former parish house. At 2742 and 2744 North Magnolia will be two single-family homes, while to the north at 2752 and 2756 North Magnolia will rise two 5-unit condo structures.

All five projects are designs from architect Bill Kokalias at Axios Architects & Consultants, in The Loop. ALL Builders of Chicago is the general contractor.

 

3Eleven Takes a Giant Baby Step Towards Beginning Construction

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3Eleven 311 West Illinois

Once, there was this garage at 311 West Illinois Street.

3Eleven, the new residential tower at an old church from The John Buck Company, has taken a big first step towards getting started on construction of its priory addition and 23-story building, even if that step involves only a little structure.

Gone from the property at 311 West Illinois Street in River North is the garage/equipment shed that once occupied the southwest corner of the surface parking lot.

3Eleven 311 West Illinois

Now, there is no garage. There is a slab, but no garage.

In its place will be a 23-story tower, containing 245 apartments, 109 parking spaces, and ground-level retail. On the west side of the church you see above, Assumption Roman Catholic Church, the two-story priory building will have a third level added as part of the development. Two architecture firms split duties on this one. FitzGerald Associates (West Loop represent!) handled the design of the tower, while McBride Kelley Baurer Architects handles the priory addition. (It is that firm’s John Kelley whose name appears on the renovation permit.)

The first permit was filed with the City of Chicago on June 2, allowing for the addition to the priory. That’s all well and good, but I’m watching this lot from the Brown Line nearly every day, knowing a tower crane will soon sprout. Stay tuned.

3Eleven 311 West Illinois Street

Here’s the priory I mentioned earlier.

3Eleven 311 West Illinois Street

Now, picture it with a third story added.

3Eleven 311 West Illinois Street

The main sanctuary structure of Assumption Roman Catholic Church will remain as it is.

3Eleven 311 West Illinois Street

Oh, and here’s the parking lot and garage, from a somewhat dizzying perspective.

3Eleven 311 West Illinois Street

Here you go, permit fans.