“Seven on Elm Residences. We are thrilled to introduce a rare opportunity to own a piece of Chicago history: seven luxury residences within a stunning church conversion in the Historic Old Town neighborhood. This project masterfully blends timeless architectural character with modern sophistication, offering truly one-of-a-kind homes designed for elevated urban living.
“This spacious 3-bedroom residence features an open-concept floor plan, soaring ceilings (10-12ft) and 4 full, spa-inspired bathrooms. The chef-inspired kitchen is equipped with Thermador appliances, quartz countertops, an expansive waterfall island, and custom finishes selected by Studio41.
“These homes are crafted with the highest-quality construction and mechanical standards, including closed-cell foam insulation, double-pane windows, and hardwood floors throughout; private outdoor spaces. Duplex-down homes also offer the added comfort of heated lower-level floors. Each unit comes with 1 car garage space. All residences are set just steps from Chicago’s best dining, boutique shopping, lakefront parks, beaches, and vibrant cultural attractions.” (501 W Elm St Listing)
“Not all former churches that sell for residential use get demolished. Work got underway in recent months on converting the historic Wayman AME Church at Elm Street and Cleveland Avenue, which long served residents of the Chicago Housing Authority development Cabrini-Green, into apartments.
“Once likely to be demolished and later proving difficult to get sold, the four-story red brick structure that opened in 1889 as the First Swedish Baptist Church and later became Wayman African Methodist Episcopal sold in 2023,
“Ed Janusz, one of three partners in Cabrini LLC, the development entity that bought the old church, said its interior will become seven condos, each a two-story unit.
“The church does not have official landmark status that would have prohibited demolition, but it’s an informal landmark given its long tenure in a changing neighborhood. Jansuz said, ‘The brick walls, the arched windows make it a nice project. It’s heavy-duty walls, five bricks thick, not like new churches.’ (Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 5/7/25)
Preservation Chicago has long advocated for the protection, preservation and adaptive reuse of the Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church/First Swedish Baptist Church. We are thrilled that this historic church building is finally safe after being converted to a residential use.
We applaud the significant investment in the historic church building and encourage the owner to pursue a formal Chicago Landmark Designation. The former church building is an good example of the Romanesque Church construction in Chicago.
The historic buildings from the Cabrini-Green Neighborhood have almost all been demolished, so this is one of the last standing survivors we’re thrilled that it has been saved.
Despite some deferred maintenance, prior to the development project, the building was in surprisingly good and stable condition. Following this comprehensive adaptive reuse, it is in excellent condition.
Read the full story at Crain’s Chicago Business and Home.com
- Former Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church/ First Swedish Baptist Church, 501 W. Elm St Listing, Homes.com
- Old churches, new condos: Shrinking congregations fuel real estate shift, Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 5/7/25
- With Residential Conversion Pending, Wayman AME Church Is Undergoing Partial Demolition, Daniel Schell, Chicago YIMBY, 12/25/24
- Historic church that served Cabrini-Green for sale again: The listing for the Wayman Church parcel says the ‘highest and best use is to replace it with a more modern residential development,’ Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 10/8/21