Preservation Chicago believes that the city maintains a separate and unequal preservation policy with regards to the owners of houses of worship. We are advocating for the playing field to once again be leveled.

Religious structures are some of our city's most architecturally beautiful and historical buildings, often serving as the anchor of a neighborhood, defining the area and providing a sense of visual and social stability. It is a supreme irony that they are also the most vulnerable to demolition.

That is because of a clause in the Chicago Landmark Ordinance. Hastily amended by Alderman Burt Natarus in 1987, it allows owners of buildings that are used for the conduct of religious services to reject Landmark status, the only class of property owner that is able to do so.

Ostensibly enacted to protect “religious freedom” for all houses of worship, the action taken by Alderman Natarus ultimately benefited the owners of only one historic church in his ward, who just happened to be planning a multi-million dollar remodeling. Recent Supreme Court decisions have upheld the right of a city to use Landmarking Ordinances to protect its religious architecture.

Interestingly, it was Alderman Natarus who introduced legislation in 2005 to correct this decades old mistake, but he is facing fierce opposition from the Archdiocese of Chicago and other denominations.

However, the consequences of this amendment have become abundantly clear. In 2005, the city council passed ordinances creating The Logan Boulevard Landmark District and the Ukrainian Village Extension District. Both districts became necessary when speculative development pressure began to threaten the architectural integrity of these two historic neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, because the current law allows owners of religious buildings to opt out of the Landmark Ordinance, numerous churches within these two districts removed themselves and are now free to demolish their buildings if they so choose.