Quote:
Originally Posted by The North One
Are you fucking kidding me? Kzoo has a serious problem for destroying historical buildings like it's nothing.
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It's been a rough few years in Kalamazoo for historic religious structures.
This latest loss of 302 Academy / First Congregational adds insult to injury, on top of the destruction of the Church of Christ Scientist Building (also on Bronson Park square) and the Congregation of St. Joseph Motherhouse, last summer. I know religion in general is on the decline, but there are so many other ways to reuse these buildings. The historic integrity of Bronson Park is really getting damaged by these losses, and it is made all the more ironic by the fact that that Bronson Park is a designated National Historic District (yet many of the individual properties don't seem to have protection). The local Historic District Commission seems to have their hands tied by the City Commissioners, who are wont to letting private entities do what they want with their property, regardless of history, context & community...
...and we might not be done yet. The fate of the First Baptist Church (oldest church downtown, located immediately behind 302 Academy along Michigan Ave.) is not entirely out of the woods either. Prospects for it appear better than some of its neighbors, at least, with a new owner and a plan to renovate it to provide start-up business spaces. But its not a guarantee. The silver lining of 302 Academy coming down is that it will expose the rear wall of First Baptist, which is structurally failing and needs repair. The only way to feasily access it is if 302 is gone, because they are built so close together.
At Risk -First Baptist Church, c. 2011. You can see a bit of 302 Academy's roof in the background -
Source:
Pipe Organ Database | Chad Boorsma
Lest we forget -
Congregation of St. Joseph Campus -
Source: My Own Photo
Church of Christ Scientist -
Source: My Own Photo