Coalition to Save the Met
Chicago
The Metropolitan Community Church is one of the landmarks of Chicago’s South Side Bronzeville community. In July 2001, after the pastor announced plans to demolish this 1889 Richardsonian Romanesque-style structure to construct a new church, a group of parishioners organized the Coalition to Save the Met. Despite an average age of 71, the group’s energetic efforts included petitions, highly-publicized protests, a 24-hour property watch to stop removal of stained glass windows, and a long-running lawsuit that prevented further dismantlement. Earlier this year, a nearby church agreed to purchase the historic structure.