Some churches weave themselves into their community's residential blocks, others line up like billboards along highways. Down in Chatham, there's a case of the former working to become the latter. Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church has outgrown its current park-side digs in Canaryville and wishes to rebuild in mega-church fashion along the Dan Ryan at LaFayette & 85th. Of interest to the larger Chatham community, and to Curbed, is the church's vision for accompanying retail and restaurant development. Their press release states that the donated property will host the new church, a school, health and wellness center, center for youth programming, a casual restaurant, and up to seven retail spaces at a cost of $26M. The former Soft Sheen beauty products headquarters occupies 14.5 acres and has sat vacant for 11 years. It's not exactly embedded in a 'main street', but there are bustling shopping plazas along 87th Street and plenty of moving traffic to serve. Fundraising is underway.
·Soft Sheen Property Donated to Historic Chicago Church [Press Release]
Filed under:
Loading comments...