The Village of Dolton wants to buy Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home, which is up for auction next month.
The property was last listed for just under $200,000 before it taken off the market, shortly after Dolton-native Pope Leo XIV was elected to the papacy.
Ideally, village attorney Burt Odelson says the village would like to obtain the property through direct purchase.
“Negotiations have started,” he told NBC Chicago Wednesday morning, following a call with the auction house.
Odelson indicated the village is also prepared, if necessary, to use eminent domain to obtain the property; that allows the government to obtain private property for a fair price, if it’s intended for public use.
Ultimately, the decision on what to do with the home would be left up to Mayor Jason House and the Archdiocese of Chicago, Odelson said. And that is only if the village successfully obtains the home.
Odelson said early talks include the idea of a museum where people can come to take pictures and learn about Pope Leo’s early days.
“People have already flocked to the house and we’ve had to put a police car on the block because have come, put flowers, put crosses, taking pictures,” Odelson said.
At the same time and just blocks away over the City of Chicago border, preservationists want the Commission on Chicago Landmarks to give protected status to Saint Mary of the Assumption complex.
The now shuttered church and school is where a young Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo, attended as a boy.
If then approved by Chicago’s City Council, it would stop any demolition. A change.org petition to protect the complex was started last week.
“And since these buildings are just within feet of the border of the City of Chicago with its neighboring suburbs of Riverdale and Dolton, this is the best protection we can offer,” said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago.
It’s early in a multi-step process. But Ward is optimistic there’s public support to preserve these structures for cultural and historic value.
As for Pope Leo’s childhood home in Dolton, neighbors on the block welcome the new attention.
“We’re just really excited about the fact that the pope used to be here. It gives us so much hope in this community,” one nearby resident said.
Odelson is hopeful the pope’s connection to Dolton will help reshape the village’s image.
“Will it help turn Dolton’s image around because of what we’ve gone through in the last four years? Of course it will,” Odelson told NBC 5.
The Archdiocese of Chicago issued the following statement to NBC 5:
“The Archdiocese of Chicago appreciates the outreach from the Village of Dolton and our preliminary discussions regarding the former Prevost family home. At this time, the archdiocese does not have a plan in place concerning the property.”
New York-based Paramount Realty USA is the auction house representing the current owners. NBC Chicago has reached out to Paramount Realty for a comment. The home is up for auction June 18.
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