Architecture
Edgewater Presbyterian Church is part of the Bryn Mawr Historic District. Along with the Edgewater Beach Apartment, The Manor House, Belle Shore Apartment Hotel, Bryn Mawr Apartment Hotel, among others—with the support of the Edgewater Historical Society—there is a current study to make the area an official Chicago Landmark District.
From the Bryn Mawr Apts.
The view from the historic Bryn Mawr Apartments across the street.
Hand-carved cross.
Hand-carved Sanctuary cross and stained glass illuminated from behind.
Southwest corner.
Southwest corner with the Edgewater Beach Apartments in pink and a newer building on what was an Esso gas station.
From The Manor House.
The view from the historic The Manor House courtyard.
Architecture
Built in 1926, the New Community House was designed by the Chicago architecture firm Perkins, Fellows and Hamilton.
The building was constructed in the French Romanesque style and faced with durable Bedford Indiana limestone, giving it both permanence and a visual connection to many of Chicago’s most notable landmarks.
Architectural details
The entrances to the New Community House feature limestone carvings created by Emil Zettler (1878–1957), a Chicago sculptor and designer who contributed to numerous public and religious buildings in the city.
Zettler’s reliefs give the building its distinctive artistic character:
South Door: Carvings of biblical figures, reflecting the church’s spiritual foundation.
West Door: Carvings of family scenes, representing community, kinship, and everyday life.
These works connect the building’s purpose to both faith and neighborhood life, embodying the vision of a church deeply engaged with its surrounding community.
Read more: Emil Zettler by Julia Bachrach Consulting
For community and the arts
From its earliest years, the New Community House has served as a hub for neighborhood activities. Over the decades, it has housed refugee support programs, educational initiatives, and a variety of theater and arts groups.
Today, it continues to support both ministry and community use, staying true to its name as a house for all.
The New Community House stands as a reminder that architecture and art are not only decorative but also expressive of the values of a faith community.
Its carvings and design embody Edgewater Presbyterian Church’s long tradition of combining worship, service, and creativity in the life of the neighborhood.