Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

123-Year-Old Wooden Church Likely To Be Razed After Sale To Developers

By Linze Rice | January 16, 2017 5:47am
 The former Summerdale Community Church, built in 1893, was sold to developers recently.
The former Summerdale Community Church, built in 1893, was sold to developers recently.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Linze Rice; Edgewater Historical Society

ANDERSONVILLE — In a sale netting $750,000 for the Night Ministry, a 123-year-old wooden church in Andersonville will likely be demolished and replaced with single-family homes.

The Night Ministry, a Chicago-based nonprofit that aids those struggling with homelessness, was given the former Summerdale Community Church at 1700 W. Farragut Ave. last year.

With a dwindling congregation of only about 10 members and an estimated $250,000 worth of work needed to get the property up to code, the church decided to disband and give the building to another nonprofit that could then sell it and reap the proceeds, former pastor Ann James said.

Based on prior partnerships, the church decided to donate the building to the Night Ministry.

"The rule is that as a nonprofit, when you dissolve, your assets have to go to another not-for-profit," James said. "That's the major one we [worked with] and where we thought the money was going to be used the best."

In early January, the Night Ministry closed on a $750,000 sale with Ecodwell, a development arm of Dream Town Realty focused on building homes using sustainable materials.

Ecodwell did not return calls seeking more information about the future of the site, but James said the two-story church, which takes up two properties, will likely be torn down and replaced with two single-family homes. The property is currently zoned for detached homes and two-flats.

Both James and Night Ministry spokesman Tedd Peso said there was never any intention for the Night Ministry to restore the building, but rather to flip the property to a developer and put the sale's proceeds toward the group's savings.

But not all are convinced the church building is unsalvageable. 

Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, a group dedicated to saving historic buildings, said he was disappointed when he heard about the church's likely demolition — an act he characterized as "divesting" and "turning backs on the community." 

"Demolition is such a harsh solution to building good communities and healthy communities," Miller said. "Some buildings really add to the vibrancy and sense of community and give it a sense of place."

The former Summerdale Community Church, built in 1893, was sold to developers recently. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice; Edgewater Historical Society]

Miller said he realized the money from the sale would benefit the Night Ministry's work, and that the costs to repair and renovate the building would be expensive, but wished the organization would have considered restoring the building.

Peso said the money from the sale will go toward the organization's endowment, rebuilding reserves that were spent during the recession and putting some money away for future capital needs. 

"It was really important for them to have their legacy live on through the transfer of this property," Peso said. 

On Sunday, James said she and remaining members of the congregation gathered to decide what to do with the church's remaining assets. 

The structure was built in 1893, a fact imprinted into the building's foundation along Paulina Street, and finished in 1900. 

At its height, the congregation hovered between 100 to 200 members, according to the Edgewater Historical Society. 

Inside, a beautiful wooden ceiling bends across the chapel where residents like Julie Nelson have married over the years — though James said its former architectural glory is now far removed. 

Through the work of the Night Ministry, James said the church's spirit will live on.

"It seemed the best legacy for the congregation," she said. "They're an organization we've supported for a long time; the way it operates fits with the spirit of Summerdale that it relies quite a bit on volunteers and community, and Summerdale was always a community church with a strong core of volunteers."

"There wasn't any dissent, it was a unanimous decision that that's where the bulk of the assets would go."

A marker of the year ground broke on the building. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice]

The front steps leading up to the church. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice]

Upper pews and beautiful ceiling, but also water damage, can be seen in the church's interior. [Provided/Julie Nelson]

Resident Julie Nelson married at the church in 2006. [Provided/Julie Nelson]

Proceeds from the sale go toward supporting The Night Ministry. [Provided/Julie Nelson]

It would have cost $250,000 to fix the property, its former pastor said. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice]

The former Summerdale Community Church at 1700 W. Farragut Ave. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice]

The property sits on a double-wide lot and could accommodate two spacious homes. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice]

By the end, the church only had about 10 members, its former pastor said. [DNAinfo/Linze Rice]

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.