urbanSTL

^^Was the place insured? I'm guessing it probably was. It was all above board and they put a whole heap ton of work into it. Insurance won't cover it all, but it might make a good start. They could move. GoHarv is certainly right that we have more than our fair share of closed churches. Just not sure what else is comparable nearby anymore. Too many have been demolished recently, so the inventory of really grand churches is getting kind of scarce. The big round of church realignment might put some new ones on the market, but the biggest in that bunch I'm familiar with are all south. St. Teresa and St. Bridget might well end up sold, since I don't see the diocese unlading Most Holy Trinity, but that's a long way from Sk8 Liborius, and it's a good bit smaller. (Neat building, mind. I hope something good comes of it.) Even the big stuff on the southside that might end up sold off is mostly smaller. St. John the Baptist, maybe. St. John Paul ne George (and Ringo). Sts. Peter and Paul is supposed to stay open as I understand it, just not as a parish. (Might be a lot of that happening.) Can't think what currently closed churches apart from St. Augustine are even remotely as grand.

Indy Star - 'Devastated': 150-year-old St. Louis cathedral-turned-skate park destroyed in fire

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/nat ... 372413007/

quincunx wrote: ↑

Jul 01, 2023

Demo permits were applied for yesterday. Is that just to clean things up?

The demolition permit value is listed as only $20,000. Maybe that's because it's only to clean out the debris, or maybe it's just a placeholder value for a City funded emergency demolition. I figured the City would push demolition quickly, but it made it through the severe storm today no worse for wear, and it sounds like the owners want to make an effort to save what is left in some form. Stabilizing the walls and steeple for the long-term will not exactly be cheap, but I'd much rather see that then just throwing it all way just because that is what the Building Division is best at doing.

pattimagee wrote: ↑

Jul 06, 2023

_nomad_ wrote: ↑

Jul 01, 2023

Would be cool if they could stabilize the walls and rebuild the skate park inside the church walls but without the roof

That's what I was thinking too.. if you can seal the structure, create some drainage protection, and make the skating park out of concrete you can have arguably the same experience without a roof...

My understanding is that HVAC issues were a big hindrance to them getting a permit to open to the general public with regular hours, rebuilding as an outdoor venue would eliminate that problem.

Stl PR - Leaders of Sk8 Liborius plan next steps after a devastating fire at the St. Louis skate park


https://news.stlpublicradio.org/arts/20 ... ating-fire

StlToday - Sk8 Liborius founders prep for building’s second coming months after fire

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/met ... 77dca.html

Most likely it has been discussed (possibly within this thread) and chide me for asking but why doesn't  this group consider another building?  We certainly have plenty of empty buildings

This is a perfect example of a project deserving of American Rescue Plan or Rams Settlement Money. A unique asset that got people active in a safe (and historic) way. A good city would be able to authorize support funding quickly.

Any estimate on restoration cost? $20M?