Documenting the demolition of Middle Collegiate Church

As we noted on Friday, workers finished removing the rest of the sidewalk bridge from the SE corner of Seventh Street and Second Avenue, marking the end of the demolition on the Middle Collegiate Church property.

Here's a look at the space now as church officials focus on the next phase of their return to the East Village. (They hold services from their temporary home — East End Temple, 245 E. 17th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. )

Tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, Committee Board 3's Landmarks Committee will hear about a Certificate of Appropriateness for the Middle Collegiate's space at 50 E. Seventh St. (seen below next door to Van Leeuwen) with changes to windows, siding, skylight and the rooftop unit.

By December, officials hope to create a new worshiping space for up to 225 people in a two-story structure adjacent to the church and their property at No. 50.

In recent weeks, EVG correspondent Steven documented the work on the church lot. Middle Collegiate leaders considered this a combination demolition-salvage operation. Workers sifted through the remains of the building, initially completed in 1892, to save any of the limestone and ironwork for use in the new sanctuary that would eventually rise on the property.

In these photos, you can see that workers marked the stones that will be reassembled and used for the new construction.

As previously reported, church leaders said they had to remove what remained on the property within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. According to a report commissioned by the church, the culmination of an 18-month review, there was too much damage to the existing structure to integrate it into Middle Collegiate's new home, that it wouldn't withstand a full-scale rebuild on the property. 

The church structure was destroyed during a six-alarm fire early morning on Dec. 5, 2020. The fire reportedly started inside 48 E. Seventh St., the five-story residential building that once stood on this corner. FDNY officials blamed faulty wiring at the under-renovation No. 48 and said the fire had been deemed "non-suspicious." 

As for the future of this lot, this is from the Rebuilding Middle Church FAQs:

We aim to have completed our roughly $15MM campaign with cash, grants, and pledges by December 2025. Funds will create Middle's Center for Spirituality, Justice, and the Arts on the site of its historic 1892 former building that can support transformational ministry for centuries to come...

Previously

The remains of the fire-damaged Middle Church structure have been removed

Photo by Steven 

This morning, workers finished removing the rest of the sidewalk bridge from the SE corner of Seventh Street and Second Avenue, marking the end of the demolition on the Middle Collegiate Church property.

Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church, previously told us this was expected to be a two-to-three-month job. It turned out to be about a month and a half, as work started on Nov. 20.

Lewis also explained that it would be a combination demolition-salvage operation. Workers sifted through the remains of the building, initially completed in 1892, to save any of the limestone and ironwork for use in the new sanctuary that will eventually rise on the property. (We will post some of the in-progress photos next week.)

As previously reported, church leaders said they had to remove what remained on the property within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. According to a report commissioned by the church, the culmination of an 18-month review, there was too much damage to the existing structure to integrate it into Middle Collegiate's new home, that it wouldn't withstand a full-scale rebuild on the property. 

The church structure was destroyed during a six-alarm fire early morning on Dec. 5, 2020. The fire reportedly started inside 48 E. Seventh St., the five-story residential building that once stood on this corner. FDNY officials blamed faulty wiring at the under-renovation No. 48 and said the fire had been deemed "non-suspicious." 

By December 2024, officials hope to create a new worshiping space for up to 225 people in a two-story structure adjacent to the church and their property at 50 E. Seventh St.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Workers prepping to remove the remains of the fire-damaged façade at Middle Collegiate Church

• The remaining structure of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church will be demolished

Brick by brick: Historic steeple removed from the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church

A photo from yesterday morning shows that workers have whittled down the steeple at the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church façade on Second Avenue at Seventh Street. (Thank you to everyone who shared photos — there seems to be a lot of interest in this.)

Demolition got underway on Monday... with attention focused on the steeple starting on Tuesday. 

The steeple housed the church's historic Liberty Bell, which was preserved and is temporarily at the New York Historical Society.

Work is expected to last up to three months here... with a new sanctuary rising again someday for Middle Collegiate.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Workers prepping to remove the remains of the fire-damaged façade at Middle Collegiate Church

• The remaining structure of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church will be demolished

[Updated] Steeple watch

Multiple readers shared this dramatic view this morning from atop the steeple at Middle Collegiate Church on Second Avenue at Seventh Street...

... the top three were from an anonymous reader... the next two are via Cecil Scheib...

... and by Jason Trucco...

Yesterday marked the first day of demolition at the fire-damage façade. 

As Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church, previously told us, this is a combination demolition-salvage operation. Workers will be sifting through the remains of the building, initially completed in 1892, to save any of the limestone and ironwork for use in the new sanctuary that will eventually rise on the property. 

The façade’s arch will reportedly remain untouched. 

The six-alarm fire that started in the empty apartment building next door early on Dec. 5, 2020, destroyed many of the church's historic elements, such as the Tiffany-stained glass windows. (The church's Liberty Bell was preserved and is temporarily at the New York Historical Society.)

Demolition work is expected to last two-to-three months.

Updated: 

And a look by the end of the day... via Jacob Ford...

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Workers prepping to remove the remains of the fire-damaged façade at Middle Collegiate Church

• The remaining structure of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church will be demolished

Demolition underway on the fire-damaged Middle Church façade

The top 3 photos by Jacob Ford; the rest via Derek Berg 

Workers today began to remove the remains of Middle Collegiate Church's fire-damaged façade at 112 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street... the first day of what is expected to be a two-to-three-month job...

This afternoon, around 3:30, church leaders and members of the Middle community gathered to mourn the sanctuary that they called home.

"This is a really important day," said the Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis (above and below in the red hat), the church's senior minister. "The beginning of something new but the end of something old."

As previously reported, church leaders said they must remove what remains on the property within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. According to a report commissioned by the church, the culmination of an 18-month review, there was too much damage to the existing structure to integrate it into Middle Collegiate's new home, that it wouldn't withstand a full-scale rebuild on the property. 

The church structure was destroyed during a six-alarm fire early morning on Dec. 5, 2020. The fire reportedly started inside 48 E. Seventh St., the five-story residential building that once stood on this corner. FDNY officials blamed faulty wiring at the under-renovation No. 48 and said the fire had been deemed "non-suspicious." 

By December 2024, officials hope to create a new worshiping space for up to 225 people in a two-story structure adjacent to the church and their property at 50 E. Seventh St.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Workers prepping to remove the remains of the fire-damaged façade at Middle Collegiate Church

• The remaining structure of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church will be demolished

Demoliton of the fire-damaged Middle Church façade starts on Monday

Photo Tuesday by Steven 

On Monday, workers will begin to remove the remains of Middle Collegiate Church's fire-damaged façade at 112 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

Earlier this month, Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church, told us this is expected to be a two-to-three-month job. Lewis also explained that it's a combination demolition-salvage operation. Workers will sift through the remains of the building, initially completed in 1892, to save any of the limestone and ironwork for use in the new sanctuary that will eventually rise on the property.

As previously reported, church leaders said they must remove what remains on the property within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. According to a report commissioned by the church, the culmination of an 18-month review, there was too much damage to the existing structure to integrate it into Middle Collegiate's new home, that it wouldn't withstand a full-scale rebuild on the property. 

On 3:30 Monday afternoon, church leaders and members of the Middle community "will gather to mourn the sanctuary it called home."

From an announcement about the start of the demoliton:

While this is a moment of communal grief, it will also clear the way for Middle to build a new sanctuary as the community continues to rise. The gathering will embody an ethos that has always defined New York: Resiliency that rebuilds from tragedy by reshaping the neighborhood in ways that honor the past but chart a bold new future. 

The church structure was destroyed during a six-alarm fire early morning on Dec. 5, 2020. The fire reportedly started inside 48 E. Seventh St., the five-story residential building that once stood on this corner. FDNY officials blamed faulty wiring at the under-renovation No. 48 and said the fire had been deemed "non-suspicious." 

By December 2024, officials hope to create a new worshiping space for up to 225 people in a two-story structure adjacent to the church and their property at 50 E. Seventh St.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Workers prepping to remove the remains of the fire-damaged façade at Middle Collegiate Church

• The remaining structure of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church will be demolished

Workers prepping to remove the remains of the fire-damaged façade at Middle Collegiate Church

Photos by Stacie Joy

In the days ahead, workers will begin to remove the remains of Middle Collegiate Church's fire-damaged façade at 112 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

On Tuesday, workers erected a sidewalk bridge on Seventh Street... along the north side of the church structure that was destroyed during a six-alarm fire early morning on Dec. 5, 2020.

The fire reportedly started inside 48 E. Seventh St., the five-story residential building that once stood on this corner. FDNY officials blamed faulty wiring at the under-renovation building and said the fire had been deemed "non-suspicious." 

In a phone interview with EVG on Wednesday, Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church, offered a timeline for the work ahead after an arduous approval process among multiple city agencies over the last year.

"Now everything is, 'on your mark, get set, go,'" said Lewis, who noted they want to get the work underway before any disruptive winter weather starts.

There are two permits awaiting approval, and then workers will start — likely in the next week for what is expected to be a two-to-three-month job. Lewis also explained that it's a combination demolition-salvage operation. Workers will sift through the remains of the building, initially completed in 1892, to save any of the limestone and ironwork for use in the new sanctuary that will eventually rise on the property.

In January, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) signed off on a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition. So why the 11-month wait?

"Then we had negotiations with [the LPC] about what we wanted and what they wanted, which was, 'How much could we preserve? How much could we leave up safely? How would we take down what we take down safely?' That has been a several-month process," Lewis said. "We went back and forth with different plans, with our engineers, their engineers, our architect and their evaluators."

Then came the paperwork with the Department of Buildings and the Department of Transportation (workers will need to use a lane of Second Avenue during the demolition phase). They also needed to negotiate a controlled access zone agreement with neighbors on either side of the church.

As previously reported, church leaders had said they must remove what remains on the property within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. According to a report commissioned by the church, the culmination of an 18-month review, there was too much damage to the existing structure to integrate it into Middle Collegiate's new home, that it wouldn't withstand a full-scale rebuild on the property. 

Lewis previously told us they spent $4 million to reinforce, stabilize and weatherproof the façade. (Preservation groups, including Village Preservation, had urged the LPC not to grant permission for demolition until further studies could occur.)

"Every time I walk by that façade, that vacant lot ... and there's just rubble — it takes me right back to the fire. The façade is a symbol of resilience — it survived! But it really didn't survive, which is why we made the case to take it down," Lewis said.

The demolition and salvage operation is just one of the projects underway. The church also owns 50 E. Seventh St., just east of Second Avenue, which is currently vacated after suffering collateral damage during the fire. 

A two-story structure with a glass dome behind No. 50 connects the building to Middle Collegiate's former sanctuary. Lewis said they have plans to create a new worshiping space for up to 225 people in the two-story structure (which they called their social hall). No. 50 will house different church social programs as well as space for the community to use for meetings or other purposes.

Lewis said they hope to have this ready by December 2024.

A lot is happening now with the church, which has been holding services from their temporary home — East End Temple, 245 E. 17th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

"My first job is being a pastor. My second job is raising money, and my third is raising a building," Lewis said. "It has been really hard. But we've had so much love from the community and love from the city. We're still here!" 

The remaining structure of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church will be demolished

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted this week to allow the demolition of the remains of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church at 112 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. 

Church leaders made the announcement via Twitter...

INCREDIBLE NEWS! The NYC Landmarks Commission has voted to allow @middlechurch to remove the burnt remains of our facade, so we can rebuild on our historic site.

Truly, God is good. Out of this fire, fierce love is rising.

Make a gift to help us rise: https://t.co/Vkt9D5e9V0

— Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis (@RevJacquiLewis) January 11, 2023

LPC members voted 8-2 in favor of the demolition. 

As previously reported, church leaders said they must remove what remains on the property within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. According to a report commissioned by church leaders, the culmination of an 18-month review, there is too much damage to the existing structure to integrate it into Middle Collegiate's new home, that it wouldn't withstand a full-scale rebuild on the property.

In a November interview with EVG, Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at the Middle Collegiate Church, said they spent $4 million to reinforce, stabilize and weatherproof the façade in the months after the devastating December 2020 fire.

She said that despite these efforts, the façade has deteriorated over time. And then, their engineering report showed that it would be best to remove what was left before building a new church. 

"It felt like something died," Lewis said of hearing this news. "The building burning felt like a death — a big death. This makes me feel heartbroken. It feels like a second loss. But if we let it go, we could get back on site, get back in the space and build something."

Preservation groups, including Village Preservation, had urged the LPC not to grant permission for demolition until further studies could occur. According to Village Preservation: "We don’t believe there is sufficient documentation that alternatives to preserve the historic façade have been fully explored, nor that there is sufficient evidence at this time to justify the permanent and irreversible removal."

Lewis previously stated that she understood the opposition. 

"We relive the fire daily and try to think about what to do with it. It's that kind of grief that just keeps coming in waves," Lewis said. "At some point, two years in, I want to be able to say to my community: We did the very best we could with this. This is not a willy-nilly, hurry-up decision. The engineer says we can't keep it, and we're heartbroken."

No word just yet on the timing of the demolition. 

Meanwhile, Middle Collegiate leaders continue fundraising efforts to rebuild a new church here in the East Village. They are holding services from their temporary home — East End Temple, 245 E. 17th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

EVG photo from May 2022.

Middle Collegiate Church seeks permission to demolish the remaining façade of its fire-damaged structure on 2nd Avenue

This morning, reps for Middle Collegiate Church will appear before the Landmarks Preservation Commission to seek approval to demolish what's left of the fire-damaged façade at 122 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. (Find meeting details here. There is a livestream via the LPC's YouTube channel.)

On Dec. 6, 2020, a six-alarm fire, which started in the residential building next door, destroyed the church that dates to the 1890s.

In a 46-page report (PDF here), presented jointly by several architectural and engineering firms, church leaders say they must remove what remains on the property that lies within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. According to the report, the culmination of a review over 18 months, there is too much damage to the existing structure to integrate it into Middle Collegiate's new home, that it wouldn't withstand a full-scale rebuild on the property.

"This makes me feel heartbroken"

During a phone call last week with EVG, Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at the Middle Collegiate Church, said they spent $4 million to reinforce, stabilize and weatherproof the façade in the months after the fire.

"The six-alarm fire was devastating, and the façade was badly damaged. But when something like that survives, you think, 'Well, OK — it's telling us that the structure is good and strong,'" Lewis said. "We love our church."

She said that despite these efforts, the façade has deteriorated over time. And then, their engineering report showed that it would be best to remove what was left before building a new church.

"It felt like something died," Lewis said of hearing this news. "The building burning felt like a death — a big death.  This makes me feel heartbroken. It feels like a second loss. But if we let it go, we could get back on site, get back in the space and build something."

She now wants to focus on working with the Landmarks Preservation Commission to build something appropriate that honors their history and gives Middle Church a ministry for the 22nd Century in the East Village — and not in a new location in another neighborhood.

We've talked with several residents who expressed disappointment that the remains — with approval — would need to come down. Residents said that the bell tower was a sign of resilience for the neighborhood.

"We're disappointed too. And [the remaining façade] is a sign of resilience," she said. "It is a symbol that this fire couldn't conquer the building."

Disappointment aside, there is also opposition to the request for demolition.

The Village Preservation is urging the Landmarks Preservation Commission not to grant permission for demolition — at least for now.

According to Village Preservation:

We don’t believe there is sufficient documentation that alternatives to preserve the historic façade have been fully explored, nor that there is sufficient evidence at this time to justify the permanent and irreversible removal. 

We are calling for further examination and documentation before such a decision would be appropriate to render. We want to see the church rebuild and flourish at this location, and know that they have been through incredible hardship. But we also believe that this process must be extremely carefully considered, to ensure unchangeable decisions that could have been avoided are not made, and harmful precedents are not set for allowing demolition of historically significant structures without reasonable and achievable proof of the necessity of doing so. 

In addition, Richard Moses, president of the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative, released this statement: "We're sympathetic to the very real challenges the congregation faces here. But this building has been a beacon for the neighborhood for over 100 years. It's one of the most important sites in the historic district. We just want to make sure that the Landmarks Commissioners have the best information and all the options spelled out before deciding on the building’s fate." 

Lewis said that she understands the opposition. She has also seen a report from an engineer hired by the Landmarks Preservation Commission who paid two recent visits to the site. That report states that the structure is stable.

"We relive the fire daily and try to think about what to do with it. It's that kind of grief that just keeps coming in waves," Lewis said. "At some point, two years in, I want to be able to say to my community: We did the very best we could with this. This is not a willy-nilly, hurry-up decision. The engineer says we can't keep it, and we're heartbroken."

---

You can read more about the Middle Church Rising campaign here.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• At fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church, it's moving day for the historic New York Liberty Bell

Details about Middle Church's 7th annual Children’s Multicultural Book Fair

Middle Church's seventh-annual Children's Multicultural Book Fair takes place tomorrow (Sunday!) from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. in their temporary home — East End Temple, 245 E. 17th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Per the EVG inbox:

The event is hosted in partnership with Yu & Me Books. It will feature a variety of diverse children's literature available for purchase, as well as readings from incredible authors like Jamia Wilson & Carol Wu, snacks, games and more. The fair is free, and 10% of any books sold help Middle rebuild from the fire. 

Sunday's parting shot

Today is wheatpasting... photo on Seventh Street and Second Avenue by Derek Berg...

Street and sidewalk barriers removed from outside the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church on 2nd Avenue

An item from the past week that we didn't get to mention... the construction fencing and temporary sidewalk structure have been removed from Second Avenue between Seventh Street and Sixth Street.

Workers have also wrapped up the weather-proofing at the remains of the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church at 112 Second Ave. ...

The church marked the first anniversary of the fire on Dec. 5.

The fire spared the steeple and its historic contents — the New York Liberty Bell, which dates to the early 1700s. The bell is for now housed at the New York Historical Society. 

The FDNY previously said that faulty wiring at 48 E. Seventh St. was to blame for the fire. An FDNY spokesperson told 1010 WINS that the fire had been deemed "non-suspicious." No. 48 was demolished. (More background here.) 

Middle Collegiate Church currently holds services at the Calvary Episcopal Church at 21st Street and Park Avenue South. You can read about their plans to rebuild the sanctuary right here. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church, it's moving day for the historic New York Liberty Bell

Tuesday's parting shot

Weather-proofing work continues at the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church on Second Avenue at Seventh Street... photo today by Derek Berg...

Marking the 1-year anniversary of the fire that destroyed Middle Collegiate Church

Photo from June by Stacie Joy 

On Dec. 5, 2020, a six-alarm fire destroyed the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street, including the sanctuary of the neighboring Middle Collegiate Church. 

Middle Collegiate will mark the first anniversary with a pilgrimage to the site on Sunday. 

Here are more details via church officials: 

The congregation will be making a pilgrimage from our temporary home at Calvary Episcopal Church at 21st Street and Park Avenue South to the ruins of our sanctuary on the one-year anniversary of the fire. We'll be starting the walk at 11:45 a.m. uptown, and should get to Middle Collegiate around 12:15. 

People are welcome to join us for that but for an easier way to show support, we're just inviting folks at any point during that day to stop by and leave an offering by the construction fence — a flower, a candle, an old photo of the building, whatever they’d like. 

We thought it would be beautiful if congregants saw other people's offerings when they arrived, and if we continued to collect expressions of love throughout the day.

The fire spared the steeple and its historic contents — the New York Liberty Bell, which dates to the early 1700s. The bell is for now housed at the New York Historical Society. 

The FDNY previously said that faulty wiring at 48 E. Seventh St. was to blame for the fire. An FDNY spokesperson told 1010 WINS that the fire had been deemed "non-suspicious." No. 48 was demolished. (More background here.) 

Middle Collegiate Church is currently raising funds to help rebuild the sanctuary (link here).

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church, it's moving day for the historic New York Liberty Bell

Shoring up the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church on 2nd Avenue

Workers last week erected scaffolding inside the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church on Second Avenue and Seventh Street.

A church rep told us that they are "finishing stabilizing the remaining façade, weatherproofing bricks that were never exposed to the elements before — that kind of thing." They are hoping to have this work done before the end of the year.

Last Dec. 5, a fire destroyed the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street, including Middle Collegiate Church. The fire spared the steeple and its historic contents — the New York Liberty Bell, which dates to the early 1700s. The bell is for now housed at the New York Historical Society. 

The FDNY previously said that faulty wiring at 48 E. Seventh St. was to blame for the six-alarm fire. An FDNY spokesperson told 1010 WINS that the fire had been deemed "non-suspicious." No. 48 was demolished. (More background here.) 

Middle Collegiate Church is currently raising funds to help rebuild the sanctuary (link here).

In an outdoor service in early October, Middle Collegiate welcomed back churchgoers for the first time in 10 months. 

New York's Liberty Bell, long housed in the East Village, now ready for a closer look

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The New York Liberty Bell is now on display at the New-York Historical Society.

As you may recall, workers removed the bell, which dates to the early 1700s, several weeks ago from the belfry at the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church on Second Avenue at Seventh Street.

Here's some history of the bell via the Museum: 

Along with countless other momentous events, the bell pealed upon the reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, announced the inauguration and death of every American president, and tolled in remembrance of the lives lost on September 11, 2001. 

Donated by Colonel Abraham de Peyster to Middle Collegiate Church — then the New Dutch Church on Nassau Street—the bell was cast by the foundry of Jan Albert de Grave in Amsterdam in 1731. The 900-pound bell rings with a distinctive silver tone, thanks to donated coins thrown into the metal mix. 

During the Revolution, the bell was moved to York, Pennsylvania, for safekeeping, but it was not silenced for long. The bell echoed through the 19th century from Middle Church at Lafayette Place, Ninth Street Church, and St. Nicholas Collegiate in Midtown. In 1949, the bell was relocated to Middle Church’s present East Village location. 

The bell will be in the museum on Central Park West until Middle Collegiate Church's sanctuary is rebuilt.

 

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The museum is open Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; until 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Kids 17 and under get in free on the Fourth of July.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• At fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church, it's moving day for the historic New York Liberty Bell

Free vaccinations tomorrow at Middle Collegiate Church

Various elected officials, community groups and city agencies have organized a free vaccination pop-up event tomorrow at Middle Collegiate Church, outside the office-rectory space at 50 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The event takes place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.