Preservation Chicago has mounted a Rapid Response advocacy effort to save Elim/Reformation Lutheran Church from demolition together with community partners.

Vacant for a number of years and suffering from deferred maintenance, Elim/Reformation Lutheran Church is at risk of demolition to avoid the cost of repair by its owner, the ELCA-Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Elim/Reformation Lutheran Church was designed by architect, Solon S. Beman in 1888 and is located at 11310 S. Forest Avenue in Roseland.

Together with our community partners and Landmarks Illinois, we attended the Building/Demolition Court at the Daley Center on November 6, 2024. There was unanimous opposition to demolition from the eight of us who appeared at court. At our request, the judge has issued a “Stop Work Order” on the building and site, which includes prep work for demolition, as well as a Court Order to halt the City of Chicago and the Department of Buildings from issuing a Demolition Permit. A new court date is scheduled for November 20th, 2024.

Preservation Chicago is researching and writing a “Preliminary Landmark Recommendation” report for the building and it’s our hope this will be considered for a Preliminary Designation, before the owner applies for a Demolition Permit. The building was missed by the Chicago Historic Resources Survey-CHRS, so is not subject to the 90 Day Demolition Delay Hold. Time is of the essence.

We have requested a Chicago Landmark Designation of the building, and have asked the Commission on Chicago Landmarks to consider during their next Commission on Chicago Landmarks meeting.

The significance of the Elim/Reformation church links to the legacy of architect, Solon S. Beman, Chicago industrialist George Pullman, “Pullman Lands,” the Swedish-American Community of craftsmen and everyday workers at Pullman, Also, to the Pullman Strike and Labor History, in addition to the legacy of community organizer and later U.S. President, Barack Obama.

Realizing these important histories, Preservation Chicago and many neighborhood partners in the Roseland/Pullman Community believe that this church building should be recognized and protected against demolition by a Chicago Landmark Designation.

Roseland Community has suffered from disinvestment over the past 50 years. Historic preservation is a proven strategy to create economic development and community stabilization. We have been in close contact with many members of the Roseland/Pullman community and there is strong opposition to the demolition of Elim/Reformation Church and the creation of another vacant lot.

We hope that decision makers at the City’s Department of Planning and Development, Historic Preservation Division, and the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, will be open to considering Elim/Reformation Church, with a “Beman to Barack History,” as a Designated Chicago Landmark.