Fight to Preserve Ocean Hill Church
A big preservation struggle is coming to a head out in Ocean Hill, reports The Brooklyn Eagle, where a group of Italian Americans is fighting to prevent the Catholic Diocese from tearing down the beautiful Our Lady of Loreto Church; the neighborhood, which was predominantly Italian from the 1880s to 1970s, is now one of…
A big preservation struggle is coming to a head out in Ocean Hill, reports The Brooklyn Eagle, where a group of Italian Americans is fighting to prevent the Catholic Diocese from tearing down the beautiful Our Lady of Loreto Church; the neighborhood, which was predominantly Italian from the 1880s to 1970s, is now one of the poorest in the borough. The preservationist group Save Our Lady of Loreto has rallied the support of Sen. Diane Savino (D-Bay Ridge/Staten Island), Borough President Marty Markowitz, and Assemblyman William Boyland. The church was determined to be eligible in 2009 to be listed on the National Register of Historic Sites by the New York State Office of Historic Preservation and The New York Landmarks Conservancy has called the church historically significant: It’s one of the first examples of a Catholic church built in a igh Italian baroque style as well as one of the first instances of concrete construction being used in an artistic way. The Diocese argues that restoring the church would be prohibitively expensive. It’s a question of where we’re going to put our resources,” said Msgr. Kieran Harrington. Plus, the preservation effort is being led by people who do not live in the community and did not support the church when it was open, he says. Instead, the Diocese said it wants to tear the church down and build affordable housing, despite the fact that the preservationists along with the Conservancy has come up with an alternate plan for affordable housing nearby. Very sad.
Preservationists Seek To Save Historically Italian-American Church [Brooklyn Eagle]
Photo from the Bridge and Tunnel Club
I can’t agree benson about your last comment. I see churches with vibrant congregations all over the place- they aren’t rich but they are surviving and serving their communities. The RC has been losing congregants because the Vatican has a tin ear. Catholics are finding their spiritual needs better fulfilled in other denominations. The Msgr. here is a case in point. He acts like the congregation and the community should have no input. Instead of working harder to do more outreach, the Vatican is closing down churches and betraying their congregations. Sorry but its my opinion that if you have been given a tax abatement all these years, you owe something to the community at large, not just your congregants. Because the taxes you didn’t paid, was paid by them, in actuality.
Typical. Catholic church is always tearing down and selling off churches when their congregations dwindle to a dozen elderly ladies. Happened numerous times in my hometown. Usually these structures can be turned into day care centers, community centers, cult headquarters, condos, and the like, but apparently not in Ocean Hill. What about selling to another church? Surely there are plenty of vibrant Protestant denominations here.
On an almost weekly basis I deal with this issue. What the Msgr. rather sharply says is 100% true – a restoration to proper grandeur will cost millions and all the good wishes and “aw shucks” puppy eyes will not pay for it. The amount of lost grandeur in churches and such must be staggering. People pass by, say, “what a beautiful space, it’s a vhurch they must have all the money in the world, they shouldn’t let it rot like this.” Like the Msgr. is opposed to keeping his domain in good condition!
As I have learned the hard way, preservation gets people to take note of places and to momentarily look up from their daily fog, but rarely do they bother putting their money where their mouths are.
Tearing it down? I think not. What needs to happen is a strategic replanning of this space.
bxgrl misses the point. Beautiful as this chruch is, it is closed. It isn’t sercing ANYONE right now. The diocese is in a tough spot. They have limited resources. It’s not likely that restoring the church will increase their following in that community since the demographics have changed so much. It’s also unlikely that the the church can be used for other purposes for the dioceses, so what choice do they have? They have absolutely no reason to put any money into it, outside of nostalgia.
Now, if the community around the church wanted to raise the funds to restore and maintain it, that would be an entirely different matter.
Was just about to say what bxgrl said. By my count, there are at least 5 churches in Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens alone that have been converted to apartments. I tried to buy in the Arches (the church on Warren & Hicks), and I’m anxious to see how the apartments in the church on DeGraw & Strong place turn out.
Folks;
You should be aware that the Diocese of Brooklyn is not in good financial shape. The demographics of Brooklyn have changed such that they are, as we speak, preparing to close down a number of churches (as they have already done with schools). The Catholic Church has one hospital left in NYC (St. Vincent’s) and rumour has it that they will shut this down due to its finances.
In other news, the Boy Scouts are selling off their campground in Staten Island, as this organization has virtually ceased to exist in NYC.
Welcome to NYC 2010: condos, preserving “historical” eye candy, “cute” cafes and restaurants. Social and religious organizations? Not so much.
Carry on.
They could convert the building into housing- that happened with several churches. The apartments are beautiful and the structure preserved.
yes. tear it down to build more frauxjects. :-/
*rob*
Beautiful church
but if they save it – what will come of it? will it be a beacon for new parishoners? will it serve the community in which is resides even more?