Steeple Demolition Uncontroversial in Sheepshead
This weekend The Times took a look at Sheepshead Bay’s United Methodist, where the congregation says it will have to take down the steeples on the neighborhood’s oldest church because they’re a safety hazard and would be too costly to repair. According to the article, the impending demolition has not been met with much outcry…
This weekend The Times took a look at Sheepshead Bay’s United Methodist, where the congregation says it will have to take down the steeples on the neighborhood’s oldest church because they’re a safety hazard and would be too costly to repair. According to the article, the impending demolition has not been met with much outcry in the neighborhood: “There were no protests, heated community meetings or fund-raising campaigns to save the steeples. That quiet, said Ned Berke, the editor of Sheepshead Bites, revealed just how fragmented and disconnected from history Sheepshead Bay had become. ‘Sheepshead’s changing demographics are an ongoing obstacle to communication,’ Mr. Berke wrote in an e-mail. ‘It really throws a wrench in any attempt to preserve the building and its history.'” The story also notes that the church’s congregation has declined drastically over the years and its “officials said the decision to tear down the spires was not an easy one. It was made only after years of meetings with architects, engineers and city officials.”
A Neighborhood’s Steeples Are Set to Disappear Quietly [NY Times]
Here is the Church, and There Go the Steeples [Brownstoner] GMAP
Photo by wallyg.
^^^ Thanks, Minard.
prezanon: The little Danish church is interesting but it doesn’t grab people the same way.
That Germanic/Scandinavian style from the early 20th century did not really catch on in the US. The best example in the City is the Swedish Baptist church on E.61 ST. Manhattan. That is an amazing building.
On President’s Day Brownstoner posted this article about the demolition of a Scandinavian-designed (Danish) church. I was surprised there were not more comments, but it was the holiday and there were few posters. The Danish church seems more architecturally significant than the one in today’s post.
“New Housing to Replace Bay Ridge Church”
http://bstoner.wpengine.com/brownstoner/archives/2011/02/new_housing_to.php#comments
do they have the money to demolish the steeples? They seem to be dithering.
I’m sure it would be cheaper to bring in a clamshell and demolish the entire church rather than securing the church and carefully demolishing the steeples taking care they don’t fall into the church.
I thought in the other article the preservationist was from outside the community.
I guess part of it depends on how you define the community. For a church that size, I would probably not count anyone from more than one or 2 miles away, unless they spent a good bit of time closer to the church.
BHS- but the earlier article and thread said that there was some issue- especially where a preservationist insulted the pastor unnecessarily.
“But i wonder if it could have been resolved in a better way if the congregation and the community actually communicated with one another instead of seeming to fight one another.”
I think the point of the article is that the church and the community did not fight, because the community did not care if the steeples came down.
I think it’s a very beautiful little church and I understand the issue from all sides. Still and all, it would be sad if help was available and the congregation simply didn’t care. If the steeples have to come down for safety’s sake, that is a priority, no question. But i wonder if it could have been resolved in a better way if the congregation and the community actually communicated with one another instead of seeming to fight one another.
“preservation of nice buildings is good – but not at the forefront of what a church sets out to accomplish.”
Agree totally.
Also, as Churches go, this one looks unremarkable.