The Chicago City Council signed off Wednesday on designating St. Adalbert Church an official city landmark, seemingly putting an end to a preservation battle that’s divided its Pilsen neighbors for years.
The vote comes a day after the city’s Zoning Committee unanimously approved only granting landmark status to the St. Adalbert church structure, instead of the four building parish complex. It was a move that surprised some of the church’s supporters.
Advocates for the parish complex said Wednesday that they plan to continue fighting for the entire complex to be preserved. They had urged the City Council to landmark the entire complex, which includes a school, convent and rectory.
Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) was the only council vote against the landmark ordinance.
The Society Of St. Adalbert, an advocate group that wants to acquire the church complex and maintain it as a Catholic shrine, has argued St. Adalbert cannot financially survive on its own. The society wants to purchase the site and turn the convent into a retreat house, which would generate the revenue necessary for maintaining the property.
The landmark status prevents the demolition of St. Adalbert and limits the changes that can be made to its Renaissance Revival-style exterior. The City Council’s final vote means the rectory, convent and school could be in jeopardy of demolition, or exterior changes, if a third-party purchases the property.
The Archdiocese of Chicago has been trying to sell the St. Adalbert complex, which spans from 1622-58 W. 17th St. to 1633-59 W. 16th St. The archdiocese closed the church in 2019 as attendance dwindled. It has resisted efforts to landmark the site, saying it would create a financial burden and make it more difficult to find a buyer for St. Adalbert.
The Archdiocese of Chicago did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The People Church has proposed purchasing the property, with plans to hold service at the church and demolish the rectory and convent to build a community and youth center.
The People Church is a non-denominational church led by Chris and Audrey Carmona. They’re currently renting out the assembly hall at Roberto Clemente Community Academy in Ukrainian Village.
Julie Sawicki, president of the Society of St. Adalbert, said the group is happy to see the church landmarked, but without the protection being extended to the entire complex, there’s concern about the 111-year-old church’s long-term survival.
“We’re going to continue to fight to make sure that the buildings around [St. Adalbert] are not demolished, and that this does not get turned over to another denomination,” Sawicki said. “Our Polish immigrant ancestors, who came here at a time when Poland wasn’t even on the map, didn’t sacrifice for this one day to be turned over for any other purpose other than Catholic sacred space.”
