St. Cornelius Church’s Pickleball Transformation: A closed Catholic church in Jefferson Park is being turned into a private pickleball club. The former St. Cornelius Church, located at 5430 West Foster Avenue in Chicago, was sold in March 2024 to Dink Enterprises LLC for $1.35 million. Renovation work has started following city approval of a building permit in May 2024.
The church, which closed in 2021, had been unused since the Archdiocese of Chicago merged it with other local parishes. The new owners plan to create a recreation space inside the church with indoor pickleball courts, billiards, and more.
From Worship to Recreation
Chris Petrick, the manager of Dink Enterprises LLC, said he and his friends were searching for a place to play pickleball in the city. At first, they looked at warehouses, but those buildings were expensive and needed a lot of repairs.
You need high ceilings, so I said, ‘Let’s look for movie theaters or old churches.’ And bingo, just like that, it popped up.” – (Petrick)
The property includes the church and a 32-car parking lot on a 38,000-square-foot lot. Petrick said he will keep the parking lot as it is, using it for the club’s guests.
The company applied for a zoning change in April 2024. Architect Edward Torrez from Arda Design, who is leading the renovation, said the team kept the building’s look. The stained-glass windows, light fixtures, and high sanctuary ceiling were all saved.
“The exterior is going to look the same. The community was happy about that.” – (Edward Torrez)
Club Features and Community Plans
The club will have two pickleball courts, a commercial kitchen, work areas, and game rooms for billiards and darts. The basement, once used to train police dogs, will be turned into lockers. The rest of the basement, which includes a stage, will be open to the community.
“That was a really important place for a lot of people.” – (Petrick)
The church building was built in 1964 after a population increase in Jefferson Park caused the parish to outgrow its first building. The parish website says by the 1980s, St. Cornelius served more than 2,500 families and used extra space during the holidays. Over the years, the church became a spiritual home for many Hispanic and Filipino families.
A Church’s Closure and New Life
In 2020, St. Cornelius merged with St. Tarcissus and St. Thecla into a new parish called St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. Although St. Cornelius had the most Sunday worshippers, Masses were moved to St. Tarcissus at 6020 West Ardmore Avenue.
In 2021, the Archdiocese declared the church “profane but not sordid,” meaning it could be used for something other than worship. The Archdiocese said the church had dropped in attendance by 30% over 15 years, owed a large amount of money, and needed almost $200,000 in repairs.
Chicago Public Schools bought the old St. Cornelius school in 2021 and turned it into the Catalpa Early Childhood Center. The old rectory and convent were later torn down. Torrez said he was excited about this unique project.
“I’m really happy that we get to do this. Who would have thought of pickleball in a closed church?” – (Edward Torrez)
News in Brief: St. Cornelius Church’s Pickleball Transformation
A closed Catholic church in Jefferson Park, Chicago, will soon reopen as a pickleball club. Dink Enterprises LLC bought St. Cornelius Church in March 2024 for $1.35 million. The church will keep its original look while adding courts, games, and community space. Renovations began after city approval in May.
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