Greater Union Baptist Church, a Jenney-designed landmark near the United Center, has been shut since 2022. Repairs and redevelopment could offer a path back.
A historic church beside the United Center is drawing new attention as redevelopment reshapes the surrounding neighborhood, and the fate of its doors may soon hinge on that change.
Greater Union Baptist Church, located at 1956 W.. Warren Blvd.. sits just north of the arena where crowds gather and passersby often notice its imposing red-brick Romanesque Revival exterior.. But inside. the story has been more difficult: the church has been closed to services since 2022 due to a faulty HVAC system. and gas service has been shut off because of an unpaid bill.. Misryoum reports that the Rev.. Walter Arthur McCray says the congregation. once built for a much larger membership. has struggled to keep the building operating while resources have tightened.
The issue is bigger than one institution. In a city where historic places can quietly deteriorate, the ability to keep a landmark functioning matters for community memory and neighborhood stability.
Part of what makes Greater Union stand out is its architectural pedigree.. Designed by William Le Baron Jenney. widely credited with pioneering the modern steel-framed skyscraper. the church building still carries its own distinct character through thick load-bearing brick and a richly detailed interior sanctuary.. Misryoum notes that the sanctuary features prominent. column-free worship space. as well as stained-glass windows created by the Chicago studio McCully & Miles.
The congregation’s experience also reflects broader shifts in Chicago’s history.. Greater Union purchased the building in 1928. and it has long been involved in civil rights efforts. community support for people experiencing homelessness. and hunger relief.. Before that transition, the church hosted events tied to Progressive Era concerns, according to the city’s landmark documentation.
Yet the practical barrier now is maintenance, not heritage alone. Landmark status can preserve a building’s exterior, but reopening it usually requires substantial technical work—especially when systems like heating and cooling are out of service.
While the church remains closed, Misryoum reports that repairs have begun on the exterior.. This year. the church completed masonry work funded through an Adopt-a-Landmark program. including chimney rebuilding and repointing of brick and terra cotta.. McCray said he wants to turn next toward interior needs. including addressing HVAC problems. improving accessibility. and restoring the stained glass.. He described the costs as significant, underscoring how difficult it is for a small congregation to raise large sums.
That challenge is unfolding alongside a sweeping redevelopment plan near the United Center.. Greater Union is located near The 1901 Project. the owners’ effort to convert surrounding parking areas into a new mix of housing. retail. parks. and entertainment.. For McCray. the proximity brings both realism and hope: the neighborhood that once supported the church has been altered by decades of demolition. and now the area around it is poised to change again.
At the end of the day. the question is whether redevelopment can do more than redraw maps—whether it can also help preserve the institutions that gave those neighborhoods their identity.. If Greater Union can secure the resources to reopen. the landmark church would not just survive the era of change. but potentially serve as a lasting bridge through it.