There is a four story building at 2035-49 W Charleston in Bucktown that is now being used as condos. It is known as the Manchester building. What many people do not know, is that this building that seems out of place on a residential street was actually built as a hospital. According to the History of All Saints Polish National Cathedral, The building was built as a 500 bed hospital named St. Anthony's. Due to financial problems, the hospital closed after a few years and was sold for industrial use. In 1928 the building was used by a strange mix of independent small businesses engaged in display,tailoring,lamp shades,envelope,comb,children's clothing,book binding,furniture,shoes,upholstery,vending machines,gloves,raincoats,bag manufacturing. The hospital was built to take the place of a small hospital/nursing home/orphanage that was located at 1919 N. Hoyne. The Cathedral building itself still stands a block away on the 2000 block of Dickens but has bee sold to another denomination.

I found a article in the Chicago Tribune dated July 3,1899 announcing the laying of the cornerstone of the building, ironically on the same day that the cornerstone for the nearby St. Mary Of the Angels church was laid.

Another Tribune article dated January 3,1903 mentioned that the hospital building was sold due to a lien. There is a article on the death of Bishop Koslowski of the Polish National Catholic church indicating that he died in the hospital in 1907 so. I don't know at what point the hospital actually closed.

Here is a link with a picture of the building.




For those who wannt to read more about the history of the cathedral, here is a link to a Wikipedia entry.

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Former_All_Saints_Cathedral,_Chicago

LinK to the PNCC website with a PDF document of their history.

http://www.ascpncc.org/files/ASC_History.pdf



Edited 10 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/2010 08:00PM by Kchi.