History of the Building

The opening of Narrow Bridge Arts Center marks the centennial of the building (1923-2023). The 2020 purchase of the building by Amber and Tom Ginsburg marks the start of the next phase for the building at 6028 S. Champlain. They were the bidders who were not going to tear down the building and convert the three lots into the zoning approved 23 condominiums.

The story of the building begins century earlier, when Congregation B’nai Bezalel was founded in 1904. Bezalel was the biblical artisan who built the tabernacle in the desert. In the 1920s, the Congregation merged with two other congregations; Beth Jacob and Ansche Mizrach, according to the Chicago Jewish Historical Society, and in 1923 erected the synagogue at 6028 S. Champlain.

The synagogue ultimately moved to a different building in South Shore and the space on S. Champlain became home to a many churches. Most recently the building was home to The Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer, whose famous Mighty Warriors choir had five top-20 singles on the gospel charts. 

From the 1990s onward, the building fell into a state of disrepair, reflecting the divestment from the South Side of Chicago. By the 2020s, when the Ginsburgs bought the property, the City had issued a number of code violation, making it easier to demolish than to preserve. The Narrow Bridge Arts Club reflects its rich sacred history and looks ahead toward a vibrant future for the community.