The Village of Dolton, Illinois, is looking to acquire the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV and work with the Archdiocese of Chicago to ensure it's a place the public can visit.
Current owner Pawl Radzik planned to auction the modest brick ranch house at 212 E. 141st Place, where the first American pope, Robert Francis Prevost, grew up. Radzik was selling the 1,050 square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bathroom home through a sealed bid auction run by Paramount Realty that was slated to run through June 18.
But Dolton sent a letter Monday saying it planned to buy the property, if necessary seizing it through eminent domain, said Steve Budzik, owner of Illinois-based iCandy Realty and the broker representing the property. The letter said the village intends to work with the Archdiocese of Chicago and ensure the home can be viewed and visited by the public as a historic site.
"What I can say is we're excited to work with the Archdiocese and the village of Dolton," Budzik said. "What's funny, or interesting, is that we assumed they would have interest, and it's perfect timing. We're hoping we can work with them and the archdiocese to purchase the property. It's great news to the sellers."
Robert Prevost's former childhood home is located at 212 E. 141st Place in Dolton, Ill.
Budzik said he reached out to the archdiocese prior to the auction.
"I reached out to their real estate division and didn't get any response, which is obviously why we went to auction," he said.
Dolton has not filed an eminent domain case to seize the property but said in its letter to Paramount Realty, which is running the auction, that it could be seized through a court order, village spokeswoman Nakita Cloud said.
"The letter in question sent a disclaimer to the auction house to inform bidders that the property is subjected to eminent domain," she said. "At this time, the village remains in active and productive communication with the property owners to determine the most appropriate and mutually beneficial path forward. Discussions are ongoing, and no final decisions have been made."
The Cape Cod-style home in Chicago's south suburbs was built in 1949 and sold by the future pope's family for $58,000 in 1996, according to property records. Radzik bought the property for $66,000 last year, not knowing its future historical significance.
Budzik believes it could have fetched seven figures in an auction. If it goes to eminent domain, a court will determine the price based on fair market value.
An appraiser usually determines the price based on comparable home sales and other factors. But Budzik argued that fair market value could be tough to determine in this case, given that there's only been one American pope in the 2,000-plus-year history of the Catholic Church.
"How much it will sell for is the million-dollar question," Budzik said. "A governmental body has to give compensation of fair market value. But how do you determine that with a home that's so rare, special and unique? There's nothing else like it. there's nothing to compare it to."
He believes a sale can take place outside of court.
"The next step is that the village or the church will have to make an offer in writing and present it to the owner," Budzik said. "The preference is to reach an agreement without going to court. No other contact has been made with my client other than the letter, but I've told him to reach back out and be proactive. If they're the buyer, they need to make an offer."
People have been flocking to the home since Pope Leo XIV was unexpectedly named pope earlier this month.
"A steady stream of people has constantly been coming to see the house," Budzik said.
