Former Saint Wenceslaus School on Chicago’s Northwest Side to be converted into 36 apartments under proposal

by BRIAN NADIG

The former Saint Wenceslaus School, 3425 N. Lawndale Ave., in the Avondale community would be converted into 36 apartments under a proposal that the Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to hear at its Friday, Sept. 16, meeting.

The school closed in the 1990s, and in 2021 the parish merged with the Saint Viator Parish. Mass is held at both the Saint Viator and Saint Wenceslaus churches.

A series of yard variations is required in order to subdivide the school lot from the church. The existing church and rectory would remain under the proposal, and the size of the school building would not change, although extensive interior alternations would be required.

The apartments would consist of one- and two-bedroom units.

The school, which measures 59,500 square feet, was built in 1912. The nearby Reilly School, 3650 W. School St., one had a branch inside the former Saint Wenceslaus School.

The zoning board meeting will start at 9 a.m. and will be held virtually. Information on how to access the meeting is available at www.chicago.gov/zba.

The applicant is listed as 3425 N. Lawndale Apartments LLC, which also owns the school building, according to the meeting’s agenda.

(photo from Saint Wenceslaus Alumni Facebook group)