PDF Download: Preservation Chicago’s 2003 Chicago 7 Most Endangered Booklet

Closed by the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1990, the historic St. Boniface church, located at the corner of Noble and Chestnut, had sat vacant and deteriorating for two decades. Plans by the archdiocese to demolish the structure were quashed in 1999 by community activists, who proposed using the church as a branch library. Although numerous proposals had been put forth since that time, the most interest had come from a group of Egyptian Coptic Christians, who had been trying to acquire the property directly from the archdiocese for almost three years.

Preservation Chicago recommended in the Chicago 7 nomination that the City of Chicago landmark the church, which would have kept it standing until a viable preservation solution could be negotiated.

Update: In 2010, preservation Success was finally achieved when a complex land swap was arranged between the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Chicago Board of Education and International Project Management, a real estate development company.  IPM will adaptively reuse historic elements of the church and rectory and convert the property into a retirement community. However, as of the spring of 2012, financing for the redevelopment deal still had not been secured.