I cannot believe that I have been driving past this church for a decade and only just yesterday learned that it was used as a venue for bands and afterparties. WTF? Where have I been?I definitely noticed the place before, and even wondered what was going on behind its dingy, boarded-looking doors.
Ironically, while last night was the first time I got to enter this place, it seems that it will also be the last, since rumor has it that it's going to be razed in favor of the Children's Hospital expansion.
Interesting.
I wish I could find out some history about this place. I'd love to know what denomination church it was, what its name was, when it ceased to be used as a church, and how it was sold.
I'm also curious about whether or not anyone is/was buried behind it, since we're talking about a 98-year-old church... it's even got a metes and bounds legal description.
I'm pretty sure the existence of buried people would cause problems for the hospital's expansion plan.
Anywhoo, the inside looks like hell. It was actually offensively dirty and smelly and chock-full of dangerous code violations (as opposed to your average whateverish code violations) which made me wonder how in the world this place was allowed to operate.
I also felt pretty bad that somebody let this super-cool church get all crapped-up.
At least I got to climb up to the tower and sit on the ledge, smoking a cigarrette and taking in the 3AM Midtown views. That was bittersweet.
*Note: More info, links and anecdotes in this thread on MNSpeak*
2 comments:
It belongs to someone with a San Francisco area address. Needless to say, I'm sure they're going to be compensated _way_ more than that firetrap was worth. They haven't put a penny into that place in all the years I've known about it.
I used to go to shows there a few years ago and the floor was bending in the middle from all the weight. The electric breakers would trip with a shower of sparks about every ten minutes the band played.
I wonder where all the unbathed bike riding art hipsters will live once it's gone?
Gee I wonder why it was dirty and smelly
on the second night of a double finale show?
You should have just let the building remain a mystery if you're that easily offended.
That was the largest turn out for a show there ever.
As far as the upkeep is concerned, all repairs had to be done by people who rented art studios there due to the absentee landlord. As far as the stereotyping of people who rented there, wierdos would probably be accurate, but the building has never been dominated by one type of scene for example bike punks, art school grads, free jazzers, goths.
A big mixing stew.
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