Originally, the structure was the home of Kehilath Anshe Ma'ariv, an important congregation in the development of Reform Judaism; Adler was a member, and his father was a rabbi.

The church also hosted the funeral service of boxer Jack Johnson in 1946, and was prominent in the Civil Rights Movement.

Consumed in the fire were decades of historical records, along with boxes full of Dorsey's original sheet music.

An elementary school across the street had to be evacuated, and the nearby Illinois College of Optometry building had windows destroyed by the high temperatures of the fire.

Sufficient documentation exists to ensure an accurate reproduction of the church, allowing for necessary alterations related to current liturgical and code requirements.

This period was chosen because it was during this time that, as Pilgrim Baptist Church, the most significant events associated with the building, including the rise of gospel music, occurred.

At the interior, the sanctuary will be reconstructed to include all of the character-defining features of its original construction, with necessary modifications to accommodate modern accessibility and church usage requirements.