It’s a normal trend, throughout the globe, to demolish the older buildings and erect new edifices, regardless of historical values. This tendency is precarious since apart from the destruction of history it ruins the environmental balance to a large extent. Well, we know that this is not desirable in any way but they happen frequently. It may be that you are witnessing a similar incident in your city but you are helpless. If there is any such situation, you can advise them to follow the example of St. John the Evangelist Church on West Ridge Road, Greece. What is the example?
The St. John the Evangelist Church on West Ridge Road is going to be converted to an office and retail space and the related developers are going to appear before the town of Greece Board of Zoning Appeals in the coming days. Now, before drawing any conclusion you must look at some other available facts. It was in the year 1994 when a survey of historical sites in Greece, under the aegis of the Landmark Society of Western New York, declared the former church “architecturally significant” and “a major example of late-19th-century Gothic revival religious architecture.” Is it the end of the history therefore? No! The suggestion of converting this historic 1875 Gothic revival building was given by the site owners Bassett Realty.
According to them, the conversion of the building into office and retail space by renovating the building’s interior and constructing an addition would not do any harm since it’s a healthy process to save the age-old building from gradual ruination. It has come to the knowledge that the innovative edifice would make complete the Medina sandstone building, which happens to be one of only two surviving masonry-constructed 19th-century churches in Greece. Was there any such necessity? Yes, absolutely since the last congregation happened in the church in the year 1965 and after that it moved to the larger church at 2400 W. Ridge Road. In the succeeding years the building domiciliated several businesses but has been vacant since 2005.
There is no other way to save the magnificent building and this approach can certainly be imbibed. Why don’t you advise others to do the same?
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