Spruce Street’s First German Baptist Church faces an uncertain future. Demolition of the circa-1869 structure was denied by the Buffalo Preservation Board last Thursday. Owners of the near east side church want to demolish the structure after being cited by City inspectors.
David Torke at Fix Buffalo has been following the story:
The structure appears to be in good condition (see additional pictures here). Some bricks on the bell tower need to be re-pointed, a rear brick shed needs attention. Roof damage behind the bell tower became a hole at some point during the winter. Next door, the parsonage sits straight and appears to be in good structural condition.
It’s been reported that the current owner – Trinity Baptist Church located at 2930 Bailey Avenue in Buffalo, NY – has no plan for the church and adjacent parsonage as they no longer have the funds to maintain the property. In July 2008 they plead guilty to a number of Housing Court Violations involving two concurrent cases (#’s 635/2008 & 1319/2008). Part of the plea deal involves paying for a private demolition of 41 & 43 Spruce Street, the church religious structures they left behind.
Declining neighborhood churches such as the Spruce Street church exist all over the city, especially on the East Side. While larger religious structures such as Transfiguration Church crumble and strikingly significant parts of the city’s cultural and religious life such as St. Gerard’s are prepped for dismemberment and shipment South – support for the Spruce Street church, a totally scalable project, remains silent.
Torke asks:
So, what should be done? Is it too late? Spruce Street is steps from an emerging downtown housing market. Should this church be sent off in pieces to the landfill or re-purposed and become one of the city’s coolest new loft conversion projects?
Photos by David Torke @ Fix Buffalo