PALMER SQUARE — The conversion of a 108-year-old Palmer Square church into condos may include an extremely unique living arrangement: a private room atop a bell tower with skyline views.
The developer of the church at 2900 W. Shakespeare Ave. is in the process of transforming the landmark structure into 10 condominium units.
"Older architecture like this is such a gem," said Bill Senne, president of Property Consultants. "It'd be a shame not to reuse it."
Property Consultants envisions the top floor of the church as a library or a towering ceiling above a dining room. [DNAinfo/Paul Biasco]
Property Consultants, which paid $1.28 million for the church, is waiting to hear if the bell tower dream will be a reality for whoever purchases the corner unit at Shakespeare and Richmond.
The developer has applied for permits to turn the bell tower into two floors of livable space.
The group envisions a library atop the tower, which would be accessible by a tight staircase or ladder.
If the towers can't be converted into livable space, the team will demolish the floors and create a towering ceiling above the dining room.
Property Consultants completely gutted the interior of the church and has created a "super structure" of steel to ensure its structural integrity throughout, according to Scott Broene, a broker associate with Property Consultants Realty.
The Sanctuary on the Square project, which will include nine two-bedroom condos and one three-bedroom unit, is expected to be complete by the end of summer. Six of the units will be duplexes and four will be single-level units with ceilings reaching as high as 22 feet. Seven of the condos will have balconies and the three that don't will have a side lawn.
The units are expected to hit the market in the next two weeks and will start in the upper $400,000 range, according to Broene.
The church was most recently occupied by the Greater Garfield Park Missionary Baptist Church.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
