“The years-long battle to preserve a closed Catholic church in Pilsen will continue as officials on Tuesday delayed voting on the proposal to landmark Pilsen’s St. Adalbert Church.

“After a lengthy discussion, the city’s Zoning Committee members decided to postpone voting on St. Adalbert Catholic Church. If approved, the proposal would have gone to City Council for a vote by all 50 alderpeople, the final step in approving a landmark.

“According to local laws, the committee has until June to reconsider the proposal and vote. If it is not voted, the landmark designation will automatically occur.

“The property — consisting of church’s the sanctuary, rectory, convent, school and a parking lot — spans 2.1 acres in the heart of Pilsen. Neighbors and preservation advocates have pushed for years to preserve the former Catholic church due to its history and significance to Polish and Mexican communities.

“Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) pushed the committee to approve the landmark designation and protect it ‘from developers’ but ultimately failed.

“‘I ask that we take a determination today and commit, again, with a letter in writing to continue to work with the Archdiocese,’ he said.

“Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th), acting zoning chair, said the church’s current pending designation protects the property from demolition. If a developer bought the property and wanted to demolish it, it would have to get approval from the city’s Commission of Landmarks.

“Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) asked to postpone voting on St. Adalbert until all involved parties can find ‘a consensus,’ ultimately winning the support of other committee members, who voted 10-4.

“The archdiocese announced in February 2016 that St. Adalbert would close due to the more than $3 million needed to repair the church’s 185-foot towers, which have been surrounded by scaffolding for years.

“A little over a year ago, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks voted unanimously to advance landmark status for the St. Adalbert Catholic Church complex, 1650 W. 17th St., one month after the body gave it a preliminary landmark recommendation.” (Garcia Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 9/18/24)

Preservation Chicago has been advocating for Chicago Landmark Designation of the St. Adalbert Church in Pilsen for over a decade and is delighted by process. We have working closely with neighborhood partners every step of the way to protect St. Adalbert Church. St. Adalbert Church was a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2014 and 2016. It was also included in the Chicago 7 Most Endangered Roman Catholic Church categories in 2019 and 2021.

We have worked closely with local leaders in the Latinx and Polish communities to resist the closure and possible demolition of the building. Since the Archdiocese of Chicago deconsecrated the church and ceased holding religious services within the building, we have strongly encouraged stakeholders and the City of Chicago to move forward with Chicago Landmark Designation.

Read the full story at Block Club Chicago

• Landmarking Of Pilsen’s St. Adalbert’s Church Stalled By Zoning Committee; Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez pushed the committee to approve the landmark designation but ultimately failed as the Archdiocese of Chicago is not on board. The city has until June to reconsider the proposal, Francia Garcia Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 9/18/24
• Pilsen’s St. Adalbert Church wins landmark recommendation, will face council, Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 6/6/24
• Historic former St. Adalbert Church may be headed toward landmark status this week. But then what? If the Landmarks Commission gives the thumbs-up, who will step up to to preserve and reuse this historic church — and other vacant churches that represent a special place in Chicago architecture? Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board, 6/3/24
• Pilsen’s St. Adalbert Church moves closer to protected landmark status; The Archdiocese of Chicago, which owns the shuttered Pilsen church, has resisted granting it landmark status, arguing the restrictions would burden the church financially and make it harder to find a buyer, David Struett, Chicago Sun-Times, 6/6/24
• Pilsen’s St. Adalbert’s Church, Bridgeport’s Ramova Theatre In Line To Become Chicago Landmarks; Both proposals are headed to City Council for final approval. Pilsen neighbors have battled for the landmark designations for years, while the Archdiocese of Chicago opposes it, Quinn Myers and Madison Savedra, Block Club Chicago, 6/7/24
• ‘Beloved, historic’ Chicago parish gets key protection vote from city preservation board, Daniel Payne, Catholic News Agency, 6/7/24
• The future of Pilsen’s historic St. Adalbert Church hangs in balance following heated landmark hearing, Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 5/10/24
• Developer’s Plans for St. Adalbert Remain Vague; The city awarded federal tax credits to a proposal to build affordable housing for migrants despite questions about the project’s feasibility; Emeline Posner, South Side Weekly, 6/3/24
• Supporters fight to designate Pilsen’s shuttered St. Adalbert Church complex as landmark; The Catholic Church says St. Adalbert does not meet the criteria of a landmark and has been trying to sell the building, Karen Jordan, ABC 7 Chicago, 5/10/24