ST. BONIFACE SAVED FROM THE WRECKING BALL

on friday, september 24th, i received a phone call from a very elated brad suster, president of preservation chicago, informing me that the historically important st. boniface church erected in 1902 will not face the wrecking ball. instead, the remarkable henry schlacks-designed church building had passed on to a new owner who fully intends to convert the building through adaptive reuse, repairing or restoring its existing historical elements during what will likely be a lengthy transformation from dereliction and abandonment to a fully functional and lively place where people will live, work, and play.

i too was overjoyed with the news and expressed a huge sigh of relief that i would not have to spend the next few months documenting the slow and painful eradication of a building that has provided a gateway to the neighborhood's past. i hope to document the building still, but am relieved it has been taken off life support and gradually revived to the state it was in before being abandoned.

the church's neglected condition contributed to demolition seeming like the only alternative. with so much wrecking already underway this year, this rare turn of events evokes a sense of hope and inspiration to keep fighting, to slow or even stop the threat of demolition to worthwhile buildings. thanks to all the people involved in sending the wrecker and his machines back home, i hope there is a renewed sense of unity and perhaps momentum to tackle other buildings facing the same fate.