A Community Concerned
Demolition?
Saint Boniface
Saint Boniface School 2003
Saint Boniface on Facebook
Another Saint Boniface Website
Preservation Chicago
Preservation Chicago - Chicago 7 -2009
WTTW video (1999)
What Can I Do?:
Update Jan.13th, 2010
No new news since October 2009 update.
Update Oct.28th, 2009
Negotiations are apparently still underway between The City of Chicago, IPM and The Archdiocese of Chicago.
(see Sept.12th update for details of the plan)
As of today the church building remains unsecured allowing entrance to many curious “explorers” creating a danger to those entering. Click Here for Flickr Set
This situation has been reported to The Archdiocese of Chicago several times this month without response. The alderman has also been alerted. (read the July 30th update below regarding vandalism). The church has also received it’s first graffiti tagging. Click Here For Pictures
Update Sept.18th, 2009
Drawings of the planned development of the Saint Boniface property can be seen at thedevelopers website.
Click the picture below to link to Institutional Project Management (IPM)
Update Sept.12th, 2009
An article published in today’s Sun Times states that: “An agreement has been reached to save historic Saint Boniface -- or, at least, significant parts of the West Town church -- from the wrecking ball ....”
Update July 30th, 2009
On Sunday (July 26, 2009) it was discovered that a van parked on the corner of Chestnut and Noble Streets was struck by a decorative corbel from the Saint Boniface church bell tower. The immediate reaction was to believe that this decorative piece of concrete had fallen off of the church. Anyone who takes just a few minutes to investigate can tell that the object did not fall from the bell tower because of deterioration.
Here is why:
Although it would be easy to assume, without investigation, that the piece of decorative concrete, called a corbel, “fell” from the bell tower of Saint Boniface Church on it’s own, with only several minutes of investigation and with the use of deductive reasoning one would find a different story.
The highest bell tower is the only part of the church where corbels matching the one that struck the van were used. If you look directly above where the van was located, you will see that all of the corbels are still in place. The only missing corbel that matches the one found on the van was taken out approximately 15 years ago in order to remove the bells via the south side (front) of the tower, not the west side where the van was parked.
A logical assumption can be made that someone got into the church, made their way up to the bell tower, found the piece of concrete lying where the bell removers left it and tossed it out of the tower on to the van in an act of vandalism. This assumption can be further backed up by the knowledge that there were and still are, two unsecured openings on the church as of today, 7-30-09. A small window opening on the front door of the church and a peeled back window covering on the east side of the church basement. With minimal exploration, it would be easy to find the route from these openings to the bell tower.
See Pictures of this Incident Here
March 6th, 2009
The following information is from the City of Chicago’s Department of Community Development webpage. The demolition permit for Saint Boniface has been released today. Note the bold type at the end of the data below.
About this site
This informational website was created in response to the continuous flow of interest and inquiries regarding the history and future of the abandoned Saint Boniface property.
Thank you for your interest and please check back as this website will be updated as new information becomes available to the community and is made public.
Older Information Below.
For an up to date outline of the current situation please read the Timeline page.
News & Blog
Meeting at Alderman Burnett’s Office
2/19/09 Recap
Chicago Landmark Information
Chicago Tribune Magazine Article from 1977
Lynn Becker Blog
Archidiocese to St. Boniface: Die! Die! Die!
Meeting: On 1-22-09 Alderman Walter Burnett met with area residents and others concerned with the impending demolition of Saint Boniface Church.
URGENT: Neighbors have received letters from the Archdiocese of Chicago informing them that the target date to begin demolition is January 23rd, 2008. Midwest Wrecking will be doing the work.
WHY?
