City may landmark Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church

By Aratee Martin 

The City Council Committee on Historical Landmark Preservation met at City Hall July 11 to discuss preserving the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church, located at 4100 S. King Dr., possibly by conferring landmark status on the site.

The building, constructed in 1889, displays a detailed reddish-brown stonework façade that was designed by architect John T. Long.

            Appearance is not the only historic element of this location. Over the years the church has hosted famous visitors such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Paul Robeson, A. Philip Randolph, and Thurgood Marshall. It also gained importance in the early labor movement by hosting meetings of the Pullman Porters Union.

            So when word that the church could be torn down reached Preservation Chicago, an organization that works to preserve Chicago’s architecture, the group swung into action and sought landmark status for the structure.

            “The landmark designation grants the building historic status, which means the building can’t be torn down or altered in such a way that it would compromise the historic elements of the building,” said Jonathan Fine, president of Preservation Chicago. “The battle to save it has to be fought just once.”

            Designating the structure a landmark would not block changes to the church that would keep the building up to date with new technologies and make it more accessible, such as adding a handicapped entrance. Landmark status focuses on maintaining the building’s original appearance.

            Providing the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church with historical landmark status has not been an easy process. Nor has it been a short one, having begun in 2001, when the church originally was slated for demolition. According to Fine, church members, community residents, and other concerned individuals organized fundraisers and other events and hired an attorney.

            “They went to the wall to save this building,” Fine said. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s really quite rewarding.”

            The church’s supporters also held candlelight vigils and attended many meetings to gain the support necessary to present their request to the City Council. During the long effort to preserve the building, some of its interior features and stained glass windows were removed, complicating the process. At that point, the Rev. Leon D. Finney Jr. was inspired to join the preservation efforts, and he and his congregation purchased the church.

            After recommending the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church for  Chicago landmark status to the City, the church and Preservation Chicago will wait for a response.

            “Hopefully this month or next there will be an official ordinance to say ‘historic landmark,’ which is really great news and the kind of outcome we hope for for all of our efforts,” said Fine.