Bulldozers are now chewing through the former House of the Good Shepherd campus at 1114 W. Grace St., the three-building site tucked just north of Wrigley Field. The teardown is clearly visible from the Cubs’ Toyota Camry lot next door, as the team moves to fold the property into its parking operation, a move that has already sparked quick pushback from neighbors and preservation advocates.
Recent photos show the west building already gone, the south structure reduced to rubble except for a single wall along Grace Street, and active dismantling underway at the north building. According to Chicago YIMBY, three demolition permits tied to 1114 W. Grace were issued April 20, based on applications filed November 21, 2025. The permits list Alpine Demolition Services as the contractor, with values of roughly $175,000, $125,000 and $75,000 for the north, south and west buildings, respectively. YIMBY also reports that the Cubs’ filing would add about 368 spaces to the adjacent Camry Lot, taking it from roughly 579 to 947 spaces.
The Cubs bought the Grace Street parcel from Catholic Charities in 2024, and the team identifies the nearby Toyota Camry Lot at 1126 W. Grace St. as the facility this land would connect to, according to MLB.com. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that team officials presented neighbors with plans for roughly 259 new spaces and said the Camry Lot currently holds about 688 spots, figures that differ from the filing totals cited elsewhere.
Neighbors and advocates push back
Local groups, including Lakeview Urbanists, argue that the block should become housing or a mixed-use project instead of more surface parking, saying the expansion cuts against the city’s transit-oriented development goals. Streetsblog Chicago reported that organizers have already generated roughly 2,600 letters to elected officials and the Cubs opposing the parking-lot amendment.
A century of shelter, now rubble
The House of the Good Shepherd occupied the block from 1907 into the 2020s, and the campus was rebuilt in the mid-1970s, according to Chicago YIMBY. The current permits only authorize demolition. Any move to turn the cleared land into expanded parking would still need separate approvals through the city’s formal review process.
What happens next
The Camry-lot amendment is not a done deal yet. It still requires sign-offs from the Chicago Plan Commission and the City Council, and Cubs officials say they will consider public feedback as they tweak the proposal. Recent community meetings, covered by Streetsblog Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times, described team representatives touting added landscaping, a new western exit and shuttle access for mobility-impaired fans as key revisions.
Demolition is moving quickly, and the fate of the parcel will be settled in the coming weeks as the public process plays out. Residents who want to weigh in can contact Ald. Bennett Lawson’s office or find resources and commenting instructions on the 44th Ward website.
