Kanye West's Childhood Home Must Be Demolished: Arts Center

CHICAGO, IL — In November of last year, the organization Donda's House acquired the childhood home of Kanye West, located on South Shore Drive near Clarks Point. According to a post on the Donda's House website, the group met with an architect who recommended tearing down the house after finding "significant" structural damage. The architect said it would cost more to salvage than to completely rebuild.

The organization—which was founded in honor of West's mother Donda West—bought the house after it sat abandoned for about a decade, with the vision of turning it into an arts incubator.

"Although we have acquired the property, our primary goal is our mission of providing access to the arts," the website said.

The organization also explained that the 1,600-square-foot house doesn't have enough room for the number of people the nonprofit hopes to accommodate.

The group plans to build recording studios, a music museum, and study spaces in the new facility, which is expected to be up to 4,000 square feet. (For more local news, subscribe to free email news alerts and a daily newsletter for your hometown Patch.)

"More capacity building support has to be given to organizational leaders that come from the communities that we serve," said Donnie Smith, executive director of Donda's House.

"We have to empower residents and community leaders to be at the helm and the forefront of innovation in their communities, in addition to Donda's House arts programming. We plan to do just that when our new space opens."

Donda's House has secured the support of AARP Illinois, which sponsored the property acquisition and all related costs.

Donda's house has estimated that the new facility will cost about $1 million to complete. The group is planning a fundraiser on Giving Tuesday—Nov. 28—for construction of the new space, which is set to begin in January.

Image via Google Maps