While scouting the City today for locations with an indy film company, we took an opportunity to check out the First German Baptist Church (1870) at 41 Spruce Street, just east of Michigan Avenue (google map). I first posted about the church three months ago - Choir Lofts? - as I've become increasingly more interested in the reuse of these amazing buildings.
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I pulled the door handle and much to my surprise the door opened. We went in...and found a church structure that is amazingly intact - save one hole in the roof - with eight 12' x 2' stained glass windows, pews and a choir loft that would make an ideal sleeping space and bells that still ring!
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I'll be tracking this one for sure. If you're interested in making this place your home, I'll help you negotiate the maze at City Hall, point you in the direction of good legal and rehab financing. While the kitchen is laid out like any other church kitchen you might know, with all the appliances still in place, the rest of building appears to be in excellent structural condition. No falling bricks or collapsing walls! The parsonage appears to be in excellent condition as well - save it's own pending fate!
While the Livery on Jersey Street gets the spot light, over here on the City's East side the remnants of a once coherent and vibrant city are prepared for demolition without so much as a bang, or a whimper. They simply slip away 'till one day they're gone.
So...if you're interested in making this place your home, please let me know.
__________________________________________________________________________This afternoon, much to my shock, disgust and total loss of faith with this City's possible resurrection and how the progressive hollowing out is continuing to resemble the singular dimensionality of the suburbs, I noticed that this church had just been visited by the "red mark of death" - yes, off to the landfill for this one.
click image to enlarge
click image to enlarge
While the Livery on Jersey Street gets the spot light, over here on the City's East side the remnants of a once coherent and vibrant city are prepared for demolition without so much as a bang, or a whimper. They simply slip away 'till one day they're gone.
So...if you're interested in making this place your home, please let me know.
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7 comments:
not "or"; rather "and".
it's open and ready for Buffalo Reuse to move right in
You should report it on seeclickfix.com and have people petition using "I want it fixed too".
Yes..like many buildings, it sure is available and to many who have been "deconstructing" without an academic license OR a pat on the back for years!!
Considering it's from 1870 it sure does look like it's in good shape.
Eisenbart
"While the Livery on Jersey Street gets the spot light, over here on the City's East side the remnants of a once coherent and vibrant city are prepared for demolition without so much as a bang, or a whimper. They simply slip away 'till one day they're gone."
Yea no shit, that neighborhood is a deserted, poverty-stricken wasteland. It's bound to be ignored and look like shit.
The Livery is within one of the few "nice" parts of the city, therefore common logic says that it would get way more attention.
Every city has it's nice and not so nice parts of town. In a cash strapped city like Buffalo, there's only so much $$$ to go around.
The windows have now been removed or have been broken out. the parsonage has either been demolished or moved to another location. The building is being damaged which this picture does not show. Look it up on Google earth or Google maps.
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