Friday, June 21, 2013

Scaffolding arrives for demolition of Mary Help of Christians





EVG reader Greg Masters notes that crews are putting up the sidewalk shed and scaffolding outside Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church and rectory on East 12th Street this morning.

Developer Douglas Steiner bought the property last fall for an unspecified residential complex.

On May 23, local preservationists called for a complete archaeological evaluation of the grounds below Mary Help of Christians Church on East 12th Street. The site was once home to a cemetery, and the groups are concerned that some burial plots may remain.

Looks as if there won't be any archeological review here.

The church opened in 1917.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site
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9 comments:

  1. GojiraJune 21, 2013 at 9:50 AM

    Yesterday morning workers were carefully covering the glass of the windows on the east side of the church; I guess to catch the shards when they blow or break the glass out. This breaks my heart the way no other loss in this neighborhood has.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJune 21, 2013 at 10:08 AM

    Can you unflip the switch on my cryogenic chamber once it's all over? Thanks. Will I dream? *click*

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  3. AnonymousJune 21, 2013 at 11:13 AM

    I hope that the owner has at least arranged for a salvage company to remove and preserve the many decorative elements in and on the church building. A mural depicting the church's towers can be seen inside the Trader Joe's store on 14th street.

    ReplyDelete
  4. nygrumpJune 21, 2013 at 1:45 PM

    Another Bloomberg success story.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJune 21, 2013 at 3:05 PM

    ...and abject fail for the community. and tune in to another episode of the march of the glass boxes.

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  6. AnonymousJune 21, 2013 at 4:59 PM

    So depressing on many levels. Not looking forward to seeing what will rise out of the ashes here.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJune 21, 2013 at 11:32 PM

    I think some hands of the NYC Landmark & Preservation Commission were greased...

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJune 22, 2013 at 3:59 AM

    What will happen to the burial remains? Is the developer intending to just build regardless of the remains? Hmmmm

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJune 22, 2013 at 9:34 AM

    The members of the Landmark and Preservation committee doesn't need their hands greased: their values don't agree with the the mission entrusted to them. Its like the "civil rights enforcement" division of the Justice Dept under Bush...

    ReplyDelete

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