Landmarks Illinois issues emergency grant for boiler repair at historic Chicago Loop Synagogue
Landmarks Illinois announced Tuesday that it has awarded an emergency grant to the Chicago Loop Synagogue downtown to help with the replacement of a broken boiler.
The $5,000 grant through the Preservation Heritage Fund allows the congregation to continue providing daily services and cultural programs, Landmarks Illinois said.
The Chicago Loop Synagogue is located at 16 S. Clark St., right across the street from Chase Tower. The synagogue was founded in 1929 to provide Jewish professionals working downtown a space for worship, Landmarks Illinois noted.
The current building was designed by architectural firm Loebl, Schlossman and Bennet and was completed in 1958, according to Landmarks Illinois. It is the largest synagogue in the downtown area and is known for its architectural design, in particular its stained-glass windows designed by artist Abraham Rattner, Landmarks Illinois said.
The front entrance also features the bronze sculpture Hands of Peace by Henry Azaz, which quotes a blessing in the Book of Numbers. There are also Rattner lithographs in the entry to the social hall and in the Beit Midrash, or study hall, according to the synagogue website.
Representatives of the Chicago Loop Synagogue reached out to Landmarks Illinois in January to ask for emergency funds to fix the boiler. While the Preservation Heritage Fund usually reviews such requests in April and October, this case warranted urgent action, according to Landmarks Illinois.
Chicago Loop Synagogue is planning to launch a capital fundraising campaign to support the boiler replacement and other repairs.
"We are firmly committed to providing services in downtown Chicago," Lee Zoldan, president of Chicago Loop Synagogue, said in a news release. "We have been in this location for 65 years, and we have seen many neighboring businesses come and go. As an anchor of the downtown Chicago community, we believe it is our responsibility to keep our doors open and our heat on, so people have a reliable and comfortable way to engage with their faith. We are very grateful to Landmarks Illinois and the Preservation Heritage Fund for their support of our very important mission."
Other emergency grants issued by the Preservation Heritage Fund include one in March 2023 to the Greater Union Baptist Church on the Near West Side to stabilize a chimney, and another in January 2019 to the Good Housekeeping Stran-Steel House in Wilmette to help dismantle the model home dating back to the Century of Progress Exposition in 1933.
