ROGERS PARK — Far North Side neighbors and local officials are circulating petitions and pushing for landmark status for a building to block Loyola University Chicago from tearing it down.
Loyola bought the building at 1226-1234 W. Loyola Ave. in December. It houses three small businesses and 35 apartments. All of the tenants will soon be displaced because the university plans to demolish the building so it can be redeveloped, university officials told the student paper, The Loyola Phoenix.
Archie’s Cafe, 1228 W. Loyola Ave., announced it will close in August. Nathan Abhalter Smith said his art gallery, Roman Susan, has the longest lease which ends in September 2025. Abhalter Smith refused to accept buyouts to shorten its length in hopes he could give all of their neighbors more time, he said.
Hundreds of people have signed a petition asking Loyola officials to recognize the importance of the building and prioritize its tenants. Archie’s Cafe is circulating another petition with similar demands.
“It just isn’t right that people could become unhoused because they have to leave their apartments before our lease is even finished, leaving their units empty until Loyola eventually demolishes the building without any plan for what’s going to happen next there,” Abhalter Smith said.
Grady Hamilton, a 68-year-old who’s lived in the building since 1991, said he’ll likely have to leave the neighborhood because he can’t afford to stay.
“Rogers Park is a very special place to me, but the rent is really high,” Hamilton said. “Our landlord gave us a break on rent, so we were all living pretty nicely. Now that he’s sold the building, I don’t know what will happen next for me.”
Kyle Ryan, the 49th Ward’s manager of economic and community development, said they’re trying to find out if the building could qualify for landmark status. This could allow the city to put an emergency hold on the demolition so that the building isn’t immediately torn down.
Because the Loyola Red Line Station will be renovated as part of the Red and Purple Modernization Program, it will likely be a few years before Loyola can redevelop the building, Ryan said. So, it might be possible for Loyola to hold off on demolition and renew leases in the meantime, Ryan said.
However, the condition of the building “is questionable” so it’s unclear if it can be saved, Ryan said.
The 49th Ward Office has asked Loyola to extend leases for as long as possible and to help businesses and residents relocate, Ryan said.
“Ideally we’d like to see Loyola exercise all of its options and demolition should be the last resort,” Ryan said. “We’d like to see Loyola work on its mission to be a good neighbor and follow its Jesuit values. We’d like to prevent another vacant lot on Loyola Avenue, like the one across the street that they’ve had for decades now.”
Loyola spokesperson Matt McDermott said the redevelopment of the building will be a “lengthy, years-long process,” but the university plans to work with tenants to help them find affordable housing in the neighborhood.
“Loyola is really committed to taking a one-on-one approach with residential tenants and we’re beginning to provide that outreach to residents in the building,” McDermott said. “We’re trying to work with them on a personal, human level in a way that’s consistent with our mission.”
‘You Can’t Re-engineer The Spaces We’ve Created’
The flat-iron, Loyola Avenue building is unique because it’s a corner building shaped around the Red Line. It has provided a “charming space for generations of local businesses” and it “deserves to be protected for its history and for the sake of the community, Sen. Mike Simmons said.
Simmons’ mother operated her salon, Salon Pastiché, for more than 25 years within the storefront that now houses Archie’s Cafe, a lively community space that frequently hosts local musicians and other neighborhood events.
“I know that space intimately, I grew up there,” Simmons said. “I spent my mom’s birthday at Archie’s with the community, listening to music. I thought that my mom would’ve loved to see what the space has become since she passed away. It’s a wonderful legacy. So, you can only imagine the pain it causes for all of us when we see the reckless direction Loyola is going in.”
Near Archie’s Cafe, Roman Susan has hosted 150 art exhibits in the storefront and regularly provides opportunities for young creators, Abhalter Smith said. Also in the building, Edge Art Gallery doubles as an art studio and frequently showcases folk art from Mexico.
“We live around here, too, and we’d like to have a neighborhood that’s culturally rich and diverse and that helps the culture of Loyola’s campus too,” Abhalter Smith said. “The three small businesses in this building have made it through the pandemic and you can’t re-engineer the spaces we’ve created.”
At least 25 percent of the apartment residents have lived there for decades, Abhalter Smith said.
“The number one issue in the district I represent is housing insecurity and the loss of affordable housing,” Simmons said. “Buildings are being knocked down and turned into luxury development, displacing middle and low-income folks, and frankly, mom-and-pop businesses that don’t have any affordable storefronts they can lease.”
Loyola initially promised to include Simmons in development meetings and communicate with the neighborhood before making final decisions on the building, he said. But the senator found out about the upcoming demolition from social media, he said.
“Honestly, I was stunned and very angry to hear about this in that way,” Simmons said. “Because of the issues around the loss of affordable housing, I told Loyola that I absolutely need to be in the loop and they made that commitment, but there was zero follow-up. That’s disrespectful to the community.”
Simmons and Ryan have both asked Loyola officials to collaborate more with the community on all of their development plans, so they can be more proactive in addressing neighbors’ concerns.
Within the next several weeks, Simmons hopes to host a meeting with Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) where neighbors can share how the building’s demolition will impact the community.
“I would like to see Loyola honor their commitment to the community,” said Roberta Schmatz, who owns Archie’s Cafe. “They’re displacing people who’ve been there for decades and dissolving small businesses that have become a cornerstone in the community. It just feels like they’re decimating this neighborhood by privatizing and sterilizing it.”
“Instead, they should use the great agency they have in the community to do good and be more inclusive.”
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