The Scientologists want to take over the building at 650 S. Clark, Chicago and turn it into a Scientologist “Church”, thwarting the normal procedure.
Micah Maidenberg writes:
The Church of Scientology proposes to change the building from DX-12, a downtown mixed-use district, to DR-10, a downtown residential classification.
The change would allow the group to develop a church without obtaining a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals, as the current zoning requires. The group has been unable to secure the permit in the past.
Some Printers Row residents expressed skepticism about the parking plans for the new church and worried about sidewalk solicitation at a Jan. 27 neighborhood meeting about the proposal.
Representatives from the church said they wouldn’t solicit and said they had provided enough parking for church use.
A few residents were hostile toward Scientology generally. One woman even denied the Church of Scientology constituted a religion. The group has religious tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Service guidelines.
[Click to continue reading Controversial zoning change could be considered tomorrow]
Personally, I don’t think any church should enjoy tax-exempt status, no matter how politically connected (or not) they are.
As an aside, I wonder if I have a photo of this building? I’ll have to dig into my archives…
