Advocating for Historic Roman Catholic Churches
Advocating for Historic Roman Catholic Churches
St. Brigid's
Advocating for Historic Roman Catholic Churches
St. Thomas the ApostleOver the past fourteen months, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese has reactivated a survey and evaluation process it terms “realignment” for its parishes in Manhattan, Staten Island, and the northern suburbs. This process is similar to ones carried out in Boston and other dioceses throughout the U.S. over the past several years. Over the past two years, the Conservancy has been particularly involved in the fight to preserve St. Brigid’s on Tompkins Square Park and St. Thomas the Apostle in Harlem, although both were closed before the realignment process was formally launched.
St. Brigid’s, attributed to Patrick Keeley, is the oldest surviving Irish-immigrant built church in New York City and one of the city’s earliest Gothic Revival churches. The 1848 building features a relatively simple exterior, but a soaring, vaulted sanctuary interior.
Shortly after the church closed in 2004, a coalition of neighborhood residents, former parishioners, and Irish-American New Yorkers formed “Save St. Brigid’s.” Meeting regularly under the umbrella of a neighborhood advocacy group, the East Village Community Coalition, “Save St. Brigid’s” has held rallies and fundraisers, established the website, www.savestbrigid.com, and obtained a temporary legal injunction to forestall demolition.
The Conservancy advised the coalition working to save this East Village treasure throughout 2005, Their efforts have gained momentum thanks to media both here and abroad, including the Daily News, the Irish Echo, the Irish Times, the New York Times, Preservation Online, and the Villager, as well as a segment on public television’s “Out of Ireland”. The Archdiocese has not yet publicly announced specific plans for the redevelopment of the church site.
Uptown, the Conservancy has been working with community advocates to save St. Thomas the Apostle church in Harlem, which was designed by acclaimed ecclesiastical architect Thomas H. Poole. The Archdiocese announced plans in 2004 to demolish the church to construct affordable senior housing, and in preparation for demolition, began removing St. Thomas’ intricate terra cotta pinnacles.
Since then, the Conservancy has lobbied alongside neighborhood advocates to halt demolition and identify an appropriate reuse for the building. We have also identified a developer willing to save and reuse the building. Despite a market-rate offer for the St. Thomas site, the Archdiocese has not responded.
The Conservancy strives to work with the Diocese to preserve these and other great historic Catholic churches across the city.
