Chicago Theological Seminary planning move to new, nearby facilities
Written by staff reports May 15, 2008
UCC-related Chicago Theological Seminary is planning a 2012 move from its historic Hyde Park home to new facilities nearby on the University of Chicago campus.
The new facility is being made possible through a multifaceted agreement with the University of Chicago. Under the agreement, the university will purchase the existing CTS buildings and construct and furnish new facilities to the seminary's specifications.
The total cost of the purchase and construction, including contingencies, moving costs, furniture and incidentals will be as much as $44 million. CTS will hold a 100-year lease on the new building at a rental rate of $1 annually.
"After nearly 100 years, we have a tremendous sense of history at our existing campus," said Donald Clark, Jr., chair of the CTS board of trustees. "Our new home will provide an ideal setting where we can translate that history into fresh vitality."
The new building is being planned for at the southeast corner of South Dorchester Avenue and East 60th Street.
Overlooking the Midway Plaisance, the planned facility will feature a LEED-compatible "green" design. Plans call for a four-story, 75,000-square-foot structure capped by a green roof. A semi-circular, glass-enclosed chapel and meeting space will provide settings for worship and gatherings. The lower level will accommodate future expansion.
"This mutually beneficial transaction reflects the creativity and cooperation of two longtime institutional neighbors," Clark added. "Much prayerful consideration went into this process, along with tireless efforts by our negotiating team, and leadership by the seminary's president, Susan Thistlethwaite."
In the fall, Alice Hunt will become the seminary's new president, the school announced on April 15.