St. Boniface Church in Noble Square has been saved from demolition. Mike Skoulsky of Stas Development finalized his acquisition of the century-old building and plans to add 39 residences and a music school on the northeast corner of Noble and Chestnut streets.
While there was a plan in place to redevelop the church, things became more complicated in July when another developer stepped in and purchased St. Boniface’s debt. DNAinfo had reported that the church, which has sat vacant since the early 1990s, would likely be demolished if the sale to Stas Development was not closed in late September.
However, according to Curbed Chicago, Skoulsky said: “We closed! (on the sale). Thanks to the support and dedication of the community, the city, and the team, the St. Boniface adaptive reuse project is now a reality.”
The new building to house the Chicago Academy of Music will be built on the Noble Street side. Renderings and elevations haven’t been revealed yet.
Eleanor Esser Gorski, deputy commissioner of the Planning, Design and Historic Preservation Division of the city’s Department of Planning and Development, sent an email to neighbors of the church whom she addressed as “Friends of St. Boniface.”
“The Department of Planning and Development is pleased to inform you that the St. Boniface property was purchased today by STAS Development, which intends to reuse the structure as part of a new housing development and music school,” Gorski wrote.
Image: St. Boniface Church, Flickr Creative Commons/Devin Hunter
