Two historic buildings with Irish links in Boston and Chicago under threat from demolition

St James Church in Bronzeville, Chicago and (right) James Collins Mansion in South Boston. Both buildings are under threat from demolition.

A neo-gothic Catholic church in Chicago and a three-story mansard mansion in Boston, both build in the 19th Century and both with significant Irish links, are under imminent threat from demolition.

Residents in the Bronzeville neighbourhood of Chicago and in the Irish heartland of South Boston have launched separate campaigns to save the historic buildings, which both date from the late 1800s. However, despite their best efforts, time is running out.

Unless the archdiocese has a last-minute change-of-heart, or authorities stage a last-minute intervention, St James Church on South Wabash Avenue will meet the wrecking ball next Monday. 

The building opened its doors in 1880 and catered to the large groups of newly-settled Irish immigrants, including survivors of the Great Famine. Over the years, countless baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals took place in the church until a fire devastated the building in 1972. Four years later, the building reopened after extensive renovation works, but it's widely believe that the catastrophe contributed to its continual decline.

The archdiocese has held a city demolition permit since December. It says restoring St James would cost about US$12 million, compared with the US$7 million cost of building a new church a block away.

Conservation group Friends of Historic St James Church, which is made up of local residents, parishioners and historians, is urging people to get involved with its campaign. It's calling on people to sign its petition, get in contact with the Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George and even tweet the Pope to stop the demolition going ahead.

Things are looking slightly more hopeful in South Boston, where the 150-year-old James Collins Mansion is under threat from its property developer owner. Charles Shilas is seeking approval from the Boston Landmarks Commission to demolish the mansard home and build 11 apartments in its place.

According to Boston.com, two separate petitions in opposition to the building’s demolition have garnered more than 500 combined signatures. A separate petition with close to 300 signatures has also been submitted to the commission seeking to designate the site a landmark.

The mansion was built by Irish immigrant James Collins, a prominent wine and liquor distributor and philanthropist and was one of the first significant residential structures to be built in City Point. 

The commission has ordered Charles Shilas to hold community meetings on the impact any development on the site would have. A hearing will also be held at the authority on 23 April to discuss the petition to designate the site a landmark.

Categories: Property, US, Irish, Development, Chicago, Boston