I have lived in Buena Park for over 20 years. The elegant, rather severe mansion at the North West corner of Buena and Clarendon has always been somewhat of a mystery. For a long time it seemed to turn it's back on the community. Then about three years ago things started to change. The yard went from neglected to landscaped. A flurry of signs went up on either side of the handsome iron gates. People started to come and go and the building became a living presence in our neighborhood. What happened? Why the change? To find out more I did a little investigating.
Originally constructed in 1917 as a single family home, the building and coach house are 13,000 square feet on a 19,000 square foot lot. In 1943 the home became a school. Its last incarnation was as The Day School, a charter school for students that couldn't make it in regular schools.
In March 2009 the Day School was closing and needed to divest itself of the building. The board wanted the property to continue to serve children and families, so they reached out to Neal Bader, Executive Director of the Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls (MC). (Link to www.menomoneeclub.org). Established in 1946, the not-for-profit MC is dedicated to improving urban life for children in Chicago's north side.
"When I first toured the building my jaw dropped," said Neal. "There had been lots of changes over the years to keep up with fire codes and other institutional needs, but the bones were still good. The building just needed some love. Now bear in mind that this was the height of the recession, so pulling this off wasn't going to be easy. I searched for answers and found a building in Washington DC which played host to several smaller not-for-profits. This is the model we went for."
In July 2009 MC bought the building for a nominal fee and Neal started reaching out to possible tenants.
First to sign up was Smart Love Pre-School (link to www.smartlovepreschool.org).
They are the ones responsible for the wonderful gardens. "Farmer Billy comes twice a week and works with the children," explained Carolyn Freidman, Executive Director. "They learn about seed-to-table. Just last week we made rainbow chard smoothies from our greenhouse."
Inside are two classrooms - East and West - in the former Gentleman's Smoking Parlor and Dining Room. They have also adapted the former handsome, wood-paneled Library to be a library for the kids. "It is very home like, which for a first school experience is great," continued Carolyn. Ornate moldings balance colorful, kid-sized chairs, toys and games. Twenty pre-schoolers and three teachers per class fill this lovely mansion with life five days a week.
Pushing open the requisite firewall door leads onto the original, grand wooden staircase with large stained glass window - all in excellent shape. Upstairs Smart Love's sister organization, Smart Love Family (link to www.smartlovefamily.org) delivers Clinical Counseling services, specializing in child, adolescent and parenting issues. What were once bedrooms have now become a Parent and Tot Room, Family Waiting Room and five Counseling rooms.
A final set of stairs leads up to the former Ballroom and Servant's Quarters, now occupied by China Friends language school (link to www.chinakidsusa.com). With four colorful classrooms they offer private and group lessons in Mandarin for ages thirteen months to adult.
A final tenant, Educational Endeavors (link to www.educationalendeavors.org) offers tutoring and test prep help out of the Coach House.
Three years after taking over, the Menomonee Club have turned a formerly moribund building into a vibrant, not-for-profit resource. This adaptive re-use is an excellent example for others in our neighborhood. Buena Park is full of so many riches - both physical and human. May we follow the Mansion on Buena's example and come together in innovative ways to make our community thrive. 
