Velma Thomas Early Childhood Center in Chicago’s McKinley Park neighborhood can breath easy as the new owner of its property — the former St. Maurice Catholic church and connected buildings and land — confirmed a 10-year agreement with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to allow the center to stay.
Pian Yue, principal and owner of four nearby Smart Learning Center locations, confirmed her purchase of the former Chicago Archdiocese campus that includes properties between 3601 and 3637 S. Hoyne Ave., Chicago, as well as her intent to retain both the church’s historic architecture and Velma Thomas as tenant.
“We love the church,” Yue said. “We love the building.”
An excerpt from the title survey details the St. Maurice Church properties for sale.Both Yue and her contractor, Timothy Hui of Interstate Mechanical & Construction, said they had not yet set plans for the property.
“We’re still deciding,” Yue said, although she did acknowledge a lease arrangement spanning 10 years with CPS to allow Velma Thomas to stay.
Working Group
The purchased property also includes a parking lot at 3602 S. Hoyne Ave., Chicago, across the street from the church. The Chicago Archdiocese listed the entire set of properties for sale for just under $2 million.
CPS and the Velma Thomas Local School Council have also convened a working group to set up for regular meetings, surveys and check-ins to “not be back in the same situation,” said council Advocate Member Kate San Juan.
Passed Over
“We want to find a forever home for Velma Thomas,” San Juan said at the April 11, 2025, council meeting.
“We’ve been passed over,” said Principal Mary Kay Richardson.
Long Process
Kareem Pender of the CPS Family and Community Engagement program said at the meeting that the working group would “build trust and partnership on how we move forward” toward making a final plan of recommendation for the early childhood center.
“It’s quite a long process,” Pender said.
Reggio-Emilio
Working group members include Richardson and Velma Thomas Assistant Principal Giselle Sanchez Santiago, educators Stephanie Rodriguez and Diana Tapia, parents and school council members Tiffany Kwai and McKenzie Brimingham, council advocate members Laura Lopez and Kate San Juan, Kate Eakin of the McKinley Park Development Council, and 12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez.
“The Reggio-Emilio approach is so special,” Brimingham said of the importance of retaining the school’s approach to early childhood education.
Dilapidated Building
At the council meeting, members reviewed recent maintenance issues, including shutting down a basement water fountain due to detected levels of lead and a mice infestation coming into the school from the neighboring vacant church building.
“It’s a very dilapidated building we don’t want to stay in,” Richardson said.
Built-In Buyers
John Kmiecik, a Realtor for Century 21 representing the archdiocese in the St. Maurice sale, said there was a great deal of interest in purchasing the property.
“We had a built-in set of buyers that came out of Our Lady of Good Counsel,” Kmiecik said of the sale of another nearby former archdiocese property, sold to the the Pilsen Wellness Center as reported here in the McKinley Park News.
The archdiocese carefully vetted all potential buyers for qualification and community fit, Kmiecik said. “We did our due diligence.”
Prime Location
Kmiecik noted the property’s spot in the McKinley Park neighborhood close to the Orange Line El station, “phenomenal” schools and coming development on West 35th Street. “There’s a lot of future there,” he said.
“It’s a prime location,” Yue said.
The next Velma Thomas Local School Council Meeting is at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, June 6, 2025, at the early childhood center at 3625 S. Hoyne Ave., Chicago.
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