I have no idea why Holy Name Catholic Church is being torn down, except that shortsighted leaders see more value in the cut stone than in the stunning work of Gothic Revival structure they're destroying.
Nominated for the National Register of Historic Places, it is now being torn down, one stone at a time, until what you see here is all that is left of the church.
You would think this is in some completely bombed out neighborhood, but in reality the neighboring blocks are relatively stable, with beautiful rehabs and new, seemingly expensive houses.
I guess they thought that an historic church was a detriment to their property values? More so than a vacant, weed-choked lot?
As I always say, just because you lack the imagination to see this church restored to its former glory instead of demolished, doesn't mean you should get in the way of someone, maybe not even born yet, who has the vision and drive to find a new use for the church.
Read about the history behind the church in the 1960's
here.
The images remind me of pictures of post-war Germany after it had been bombed at the end of World War II.
See it from the air
here, before most of the church was demolished.
In just a few short months, the entire church will be gone, and its striking presence will be gone as well.
As you can see, the stone is being carefully stacked and hauled off to another location. How stupid and short-sighted...
Just as shortsighted as when Saint Louis city leaders and the archbishop decided to tear down Sacred Name of Jesus church on 25th street in the St. Louis Place neighborhood. Just an empty lot and it's former school are all that's left. I wonder if St. Augustine and St. Liborious will meet the same fate?
ReplyDeleteThat church was incredible, wasn't it? I think St. Augustine is safe for the time being, as there is a congregation who cares who owns it. St. Liborius's future is certainly uncertain.
DeleteInteresting observation on the bombed-out rubble in Germany. I have now come to the conclusion that as Germany--and the rest of Europe--re-built its cities, and re-built its churches, schools, neighborhoods, we in the good ol' US of A decided on the opposite course: demolishing our cities, and removing them ten, twenty, forty miles out into the suburbs/exurbs. Enormous amounts of monetary and human capital misspent and wasted on suburbanization. Not that Europe doesn't have suburbs, no. It's simply that they decided that their cities had value.
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