Former St Ambrose Campus | Kenwood

Highlights:

• Kenwood Neighborhood Location
• Easy Access to Lake Shore Drive & Lakefront Trails and Parks
• Short Walk To CTA Station
• Rare Opportunity to Acquire over an Acre of Land
• Less Than a Mile to the University of Chicago
• Surrounded By Retail & Residential

Description:

St. Ambrose Church campus presents a rare opportunity to acquire a fully appointed religious and educational complex in the heart of Chicago’s prestigious Kenwood neighborhood. Comprised of three stately buildings totaling approximately 48,700 SF on a generous 58,770 SF lot, the property includes the 17,300 SF sanctuary and gathering spaces of the church, the 11,360 SF rectory with private living quarters and ground‑level meeting rooms, and a 20,040 SF former school building offering expansive classroom wings and assembly halls. Both the rectory and school feature full basements—ideal for archival storage, mechanical systems, or finished community rooms- and the site offers secure, off‑street parking behind the school as well as additional spaces directly off 47th Street. With its cohesive masonry façades, cathedral‑height interiors, and thoughtfully preserved historic details, St. Ambrose is turnkey for congregational use or ready for creative adaptive reuse.
Whether envisioned as a modern campus for nonprofit programming, a boutique office and event venue, or a mixed‑use redevelopment with residential lofts and street‑level retail, the St. Ambrose campus offers an exceptional foundation for investors and institutional users seeking both heritage character and transit‑oriented growth.

Located at 1000–1012 E. 47th Street, St. Ambrose Church, rectory, and school occupy a premier site on the eastern edge of Chicago’s historic Kenwood neighborhood. Just four blocks from the Lake Michigan shoreline, the property offers effortless access to the lakefront’s parks and trails, while being steps from the CTA #47 and #6 bus routes and less than a mile from the Metra Electric Line’s 51st Street station. This transit‑oriented location places both downtown Chicago and the neighboring Hyde Park community within a 15‑minute ride, making it ideal for parishioners, students, and visitors alike.

Kenwood itself emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as one of the city’s most elegant residential enclaves, renowned for its grand Queen Anne and Georgian Revival homes, many of which still stand within the Kenwood Historic District. Tree‑lined boulevards and quiet side streets speak to the neighborhood’s turn‑of‑the‑century pedigree, while nearby green spaces, such as Washington Park and Promontory Point, offer a verdant respite from urban life. The stately architecture of St. Ambrose seamlessly complements this tapestry of historic residences, lending gravitas and continuity to the streetscape.

Just south, you’ll find Hyde Park, home to the University of Chicago’s world‑class academic and cultural institutions—ranging from the Smart Museum of Art to the Museum of Science and Industry—as well as a lively café and gallery scene. Kenwood’s modern legacy is equally distinguished: Barack and Michelle Obama made their family home here from 2005 until his election to the presidency in 2008, underscoring the neighborhood’s role as both a cradle of community leadership and a timeless urban refuge. Today, St. Ambrose stands at the crossroads of history, faith, and connectivity, ready to serve and inspire the next generation of Chicagoans.

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