Chicago - The former headquarters of the Metropolis of Chicago, located at 40 E. Burton Place in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois is on the market for the first time in its 109-year history. The Metropolis moved its administrative offices to 1301 Estes Avenue, Ste., #1, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.

Located at the corner of Burton Place and Astor Street, the original property address was 1501 N. Astor Street; 40 E. Burton Place. Construction of the brick residence with slate roof began in 1909 and concluded in 1911. The residence was designed and built for John L. Shortall by architect Richard E. Schmidt of Schmidt, Garden and Martin. John L. Shortall was the son of John G. Shortall, one of the founding members of Chicago Title and Trust Company who also established The American Humane Society. William G. Beale, a partner and well-respected trust and estate attorney at Isham, Lincoln & Beale then purchased the home privately. Beale’s law partner was Robert Todd Lincoln, son of Abraham Lincoln. Beale was best known for creating the complex will of Marshall Field II. The home then changed hands to Mrs. Charles Netcher who was known as the “The Merchant Princess.” She served as president of Chicago’s highly successful Boston Store, a competitor of Marshall Fields and Carson Pirie Scott, after her husband’s untimely death in 1904. It is believed that she commissioned David Adler to design the renovations to 40 E. Burton Place in 1932. 

The residence was acquired by The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in 1962. The property has served as the headquarters for Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago of blessed memory and the administrative offices for the Metropolis’ six-state diocese.