Right, its been closed for over 10 years.

The new developers are planing on turning it into a senior assisted living building. They were planing on using the lot to the east of the church as a parking lot with nice landscaping, but now want to build a giant building there, thus ruining the look and feel of the park and the neighborhood. Their original plans were great, but now it feels like the old 'bait and switch'.

I think the whole corner is an eyesore right now and has been since the church was closed...I am personally happy that they are going to do something with it, but am sorry to hear that it's going to differ greatly from it's surroundings ...I live on a block that is about 75% new(er) construction and I think most of them are eyesores, too!! I live in a building that has two rooms that predate the Chicago Fire...when they raised (not razed...the two rooms are now on the second floor) what was just a shack and started "modernizing" it (late 19th century, I guess) the neighbors probably thought IT was an eyesore, too. Maybe instead of East Village, we should call it "Eyesore Village"...I do not believe, however, that it will "ruin the appeal" of the neighborhood...there is too much else here to offer...

I think the whole corner is an eyesore right now and has been since the church was closed...I am personally happy that they are going to do something with it, but am sorry to hear that it's going to differ greatly from it's surroundings ...I live on a block that is about 75% new(er) construction and I think most of them are eyesores, too!! I live in a building that has two rooms that predate the Chicago Fire...when they raised (not razed...the two rooms are now on the second floor) what was just a shack and started "modernizing" it (late 19th century, I guess) the neighbors probably thought IT was an eyesore, too. Maybe instead of East Village, we should call it "Eyesore Village"...I do not believe, however, that it will "ruin the appeal" of the neighborhood...there is too much else here to offer...

Kea - you are absolutely correct, that deserted church is in terrible shape and the empty lot next door is also terrible. The first set of plans that the developers presented for this space were absolutely great. They blended their construction into the existing space and had a wonderful design (and all the neighbors loved it). However, now, due to 'engineering issues' they are changing their plans and planning to put a 62' high, 110' wide massive building on the lot that will just dwarf the rest of the homes on the street.

I think there were always potentially plans for building on the lot to the East of the Church. Honestly I am thrilled that the entire church now will be preserved on the exterior as opposed to the earlier plans which only preserved the facade of the property and the towers on the Westside.

As long as they are putting in a building and not a parking lot or a parking garage, I'm fine with the redevelopment. I've seen the new pictures, it looks like any typical developer design that no actual designer has touched. Whatever, there are a lot of uglier buildings.

It seems like in this case, we should be glad that the developer is doing anything at all in this market, and especially glad that they are preserving the church.

IPM has a new partner to help with the financing. We'll see what comes of it. Otherwise the City is going to tear it down. Then we'll really be in a mess because I'm sure they will definitely ruin the neighborhood.