First Church of Christ Scientist begins to come down

By Dee Longfellow

FOR THE ELMHURST INDEPENDENT

In June of 2021, the Independent reported that the First Church of Christ Scientist at 271 So. Prospect Ave. was up for sale, based on information provided by local realtor Tim Schiller of @properties-The Schiller Team. At that time, Schiller was seeking a buyer or buyers who would either want to keep the building a church, or use it as a residential property, which the area is zoned.

The church made a perfect bookend for Claremont Street and the neighbors loved its timeless beauty, standing majestically in the snow in winter.

Last week, someone reported seeing people taking the building piece by piece, as opposed to using a wrecking ball.

“There is a big banner up for a company called Recyclean,” said neighbor Karen Pachyn. “I’m very sad to see the beautiful historic building go down, but happy to see that it is being done in what looks to be a socially responsible way.”

The Independent was able to speak with Janet Richrath at the Christian Science Reading Room in Elmhurst, who confirmed that the church had sold on Feb. 16 to private homeowners.

“They’re going to keep it a single-family residence,” she said. “The area is zoned residential so it cannot be a multi-family building, like apartments.”

Parishioners would have liked another church to move in and, while several took an interest, there are things about the property that Richrath said made it too expensive for another congregation to take on. Built in 1941, the building would have been costly just to bring it up to code and then sprinklers would have to be installed as well.

The electronic digital organ used by the congregation was purchased by the Yorkfield Presbyterian Church in Elmhurst. Parishioners who owned the grand piano donated it to the church when they moved to Florida. The piano eventually found a home with the Petite Opera Company in Park Ridge.