Another spot from my short but sweet exploring time last month.
This church was built in the latter half of the 1800s and became so prominent in the neighbourhood that the local area grew to be known entirely by the name, as it was so recognisable a feature in the area. As is normally the case with churches like this, it passed through the hands of numerous religious groups who used it. The last group sold it to the current owner for the cost of the mortgage on the property after going through some hefty money struggles. The new owner, a sleazy slimey developer character, had his eyes dead set on demolishing the church in it's entirety other than the facade at the front and constructing an awful modern apartment block next to it, but the pushback against the plans among the local population, owing to the church's historic importance, was large so ultimately the plans got thrown out.
That didn't stop the owner taking matters into his own hands though. One morning in April this year, an excavator tore through the rear of the church, much to the shock of the locals who very quickly informed the local historical society about what was happening - and they managed to secure an emergency court order halting the demolition work before too much of it came down. Currently, the church is sat in limbo, with an enormous hole in it's rear, and various factions arguing that the damage has already been done and it should be demolished, and others arguing it needs to be saved and rebuilt - sentiments very similar to what is occurring with that 'Crooked House' pub saga happening now. The damage done to the rear of the building revealed that the owner hadn't even bothered to strip the building out prior to putting an excavator through it, which is one of the biggest tragedies of the whole tragedy.
To say this was a blatant explore is the understatement of the century, but luckily 99.5% of the locals don't pay any attention to what's happening around them as everyone is too absorbed in their own lives to care.
You are initially greeted with this scene of devastation. Luckily, through the door under the balcony, it's a lot more intact.
Thanks for looking
This church was built in the latter half of the 1800s and became so prominent in the neighbourhood that the local area grew to be known entirely by the name, as it was so recognisable a feature in the area. As is normally the case with churches like this, it passed through the hands of numerous religious groups who used it. The last group sold it to the current owner for the cost of the mortgage on the property after going through some hefty money struggles. The new owner, a sleazy slimey developer character, had his eyes dead set on demolishing the church in it's entirety other than the facade at the front and constructing an awful modern apartment block next to it, but the pushback against the plans among the local population, owing to the church's historic importance, was large so ultimately the plans got thrown out.
That didn't stop the owner taking matters into his own hands though. One morning in April this year, an excavator tore through the rear of the church, much to the shock of the locals who very quickly informed the local historical society about what was happening - and they managed to secure an emergency court order halting the demolition work before too much of it came down. Currently, the church is sat in limbo, with an enormous hole in it's rear, and various factions arguing that the damage has already been done and it should be demolished, and others arguing it needs to be saved and rebuilt - sentiments very similar to what is occurring with that 'Crooked House' pub saga happening now. The damage done to the rear of the building revealed that the owner hadn't even bothered to strip the building out prior to putting an excavator through it, which is one of the biggest tragedies of the whole tragedy.
To say this was a blatant explore is the understatement of the century, but luckily 99.5% of the locals don't pay any attention to what's happening around them as everyone is too absorbed in their own lives to care.
You are initially greeted with this scene of devastation. Luckily, through the door under the balcony, it's a lot more intact.
Thanks for looking
