St. Brigid’s Demolition Halted
St. Brigid’s Demolition Halted
St. Brigids Church
St. Brigid’s Demolition Halted
State Supreme Court Judge Barbara Kapnick has halted the demolition of St. Brigid’s until August 24th.
On Thursday, July 29th, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York had begun the demolition of St. Brigid’s the oldest surviving famine Irish church in New York City despite widespread pleas to save it from its congregation, the Irish American community, neighbors, the Conservancy, and other preservation groups.
Donors even offered to buy the church at market-rate to keep it standing. The fight to save St. Brigid’s drew national and even international support from the Irish community.
In recent days, The Committee to Save St. Brigid’s Church had filed with the Board of Standards and Appeal (BSA) and in New York State Supreme Court contesting DOB’s decision and asking for a stay of demolition until the case was heard by the BSA. They had hoped this could delay the demolition and earn more time to convince the Archdiocese to consider other options for the building.
The Archdiocese has not made public what their plans are for the redevelopment of the site, but the Committee to Save St. Brigid’s is pursuing legal action.
St. Brigid’s is the bell-weather, the first of several possible demolitions of historic churches by the Archdiocese.
St. Brigid’s loss diminishes not just Tompkins Square but the City as a whole, and future demolitions will change the character of other neighborhoods as harshly.
Please call the Archdiocese and register your concern: 212 371 1000
