“A substantial King Drive mansion whose lender took it back after a museum plan failed has sold again quickly, to a real estate investor who plans an extensive restoration and return to residential use.

“Andy Schcolnik, the head of Ansco Construction, told Crain’s he paid $540,000 yesterday for the majestic, long-vacant mansion that IFF, a community development-focused lender, put up for sale in October. In 2021, IFF had lent the Obsidian Collection $1 million to purchase the mansion and at least $250,000 more, according to the Cook County Clerk.

“The return to residential use is coming after the mansion has sat empty for about 20 years, since sometime after its sale in 2004 by Jorja Palmer, widow of and longtime partner in Black activism with Lu Palmer. The Palmers had lived in the mansion since about 1976.

“The mansion’s 5,800-square-foot coach house will be rehabbed first, into three units that he will sell either individually or all together as a three-flat, Schcolnik said. Next will be a full gut rehab of the mansion, a 9,200-square-foot Queen Anne built in 1885. The rehab architect is Robert Friedman, based in Skokie. Schcolnik said he’d like to see the rehabbed mansion go as a single-family home, but will divide it into condos if the market dictates that.

“Either way, ‘it will probably be a money-loser for me,’ Schcolnik said, just as he expects his restoration of a derelict unit in a Frank Lloyd Wright building on Walnut Street in East Garfield Park to be. ‘But I want to have fun and do some good with them if I can.’

“Last year, Schcolnik bought the severely run-down unit in Wright’s 1905 Waller Apartments for an amount that is not disclosed in public records. He told Crain’s the rehab will be complete within the next few months.

The rehabs of the two decrepit historic buildings are ‘something I can do now,’ he said. The Palmer mansion, at 3654 S. King Drive, has little historical detail inside that can be saved, Schcolnik said, but in the process of hauling out latter-day materials, ‘we’ll see what we find.’ He hopes to either restore or re-create the mansion’s staircase and atrium, but said it’s already clear no original wood flooring will be salvageable.

“‘We’re going to get (the interior) as close to looking original as we can,’ he said, and clean up the ornate stone exterior, which is all intact. An upstairs ballroom, long ago divided into several small rooms, may come back in the rehab, Schcolnik said.

“Now, after about two decades of disuse, the property is in the hands of a rescuer.” (Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 11/26/25)

Preservation Chicago is disappointed that The Obsidian Collection won’t be able to move forward with the adaptive reuse the Palmer Mansion for a nonprofit digital archive for photographs, video and documents to focus on making Black history more available and accessible. We strongly supported Angela Ford with her incredibly exciting plan. Sadly, four years of exasperating delays and obstructions made the project unfeasible.

Preservation Chicago had been concerned about the deteriorating condition of the Justice D. Harry Hammer Mansion/Lutrelle ‘Lu’ & Jorja Palmer Mansion for years. To help raise awareness and to pressure stakeholders, it became a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2019. We have played an active role working with community organizations, local leaders, and decision-makers to help bring about a preservation-sensitive outcome for this building. We’ve continue to advocate to find a new buyer for this important building and towards an eventual restoration and Chicago Landmark Designation.

We are thrilled that Andy Schcolnik has purchased the Palmer Mansion and is moving steadily towards stabilization and restoration, and hopefully a Chicago Landmark Designation. Andy has saved many endangered historic buildings and we are confident that the Palmer Mansion is in good hands and this will result in a good outcome.

Read the full story at Crain’s Chicago Business

• Vacant Bronzeville mansion once planned as a Black history museum gets a rescuer, Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 11/26/25
• Lu Palmer’s Bronzeville Mansion For Sale, But Obsidian Collection Founder Still Planning Black History Archive; The building on King Drive was back on the market last week, but Obsidian Collection founder Angie Ford is still vowing to bring a digital archive and co-working space to the neighborhood, Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 10/29/25
• Grand Bronzeville mansion for sale after museum plan fizzles, Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 10/24/25
• Bronzeville’s Obsidian Collection Nears Finish Line As It Goes For City Council Approval; The $3.8 million project would be home to a digital archive center and co-working hub inside the historical Lu and Jorja Palmer mansion on King Drive, Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 2/1/23
• Lu Palmer mansion up for rezoning as Obsidian Collection moves ahead with plans for Black media archive and coworking space, Zoe Pharo, Hyde Park Herald, 2/3/23
• Owner Of Historic Lu Palmer Mansion Says Ald. King Is Stalling Planned Black Media Archive, Community Center At Site; Angela Ford accused King of blocking her proposal to open a museum in the 133-year-old home. King said Ford is misrepresenting the scope of the project, calling it ‘a Soho House next to your home.’ Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 5/25/22
• Justice D. Harry Hammer Mansion/Lutrelle ‘Lu’ & Jorja Palmer Mansion, a Preservation Chicago 2019 Chicago 7 Most Endangered
• Hammer/Palmer Mansion, 3654 S King Dr. Chicago, IL 60653 LoopNet Listing