After a lengthy 15 year preservation battle to save the abandoned St. Boniface Church, it appears that the old Romanesque Revival structure is one step closer to its eventual demolition. Recently, the church received red X signs from the city, which indicates that the structure is unsafe and unsound, and should not be entered by first responders. And although the signs don't mean that a building will be razed, St. Boniface has been on the cusp of demolition for years. Historic buildings receive a 90 day grace period for demolition after receiving a code orange or red from the Chicago Historic Resources Survey, however St. Boniface hit the Demolition Delay Hold List way back in 2012. St. Boniface was closed by the archdiocese in 1990, and the preservation battle to save it began in 1999. Over the years, various plans to restore/repurpose the church have been floated around, with the most recent being a plan to turn the old structure into senior housing. In December, the Illinois Housing Development Authority denied a tax credit application for the senior housing project.
· St. Boniface Developer Changes Plan, Opts to Keep Church Intact [Curbed Chicago]
· Update December 4, 2013 [St. Boniface Info]
· St. Boniface Church: Noble and Chestnut [Preservation Chicago]
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