St. Monica's Church (Queens)
St. Monica's Church | |
New York City Landmark No. 1017
| |
Jamaica, New York | |
Coordinates | 40°42′7″N 73°47′53″W / 40.70194°N 73.79806°W |
---|---|
Built | 1856 |
Architect | Anders Peterson, Rev. Anthony Farley |
Architectural style | Romanesque |
NRHP reference No. | 80002752 |
NYCL No. | 1017 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | April 9, 1980[1] |
Designated NYCL | March 13, 1979 |
St. Monica's Church is a historic former
Early history
St. Monica's Roman Catholic Church was constructed by master mason Anders Peterson under the direction of Reverend Anthony Farley.
St. Monica's Roman Catholic Church was designed as a red brick Romanesque Revival style building with a tall central campanile and an Italian flavor.
Neglect and preservation
St. Monica's Roman Catholic Church has been destroyed by vandalism and neglect.[6] The church's leaded-glass windows were broken, the copper gutters were ripped off the roof, holes were chopped into the sides of the building, and all the inside pews were carried away.[6] Additionally, St. Monica's Church was brought to ruin and neglect when one of Long Island's youngest colleges was built.[7] It held a final Mass of thanksgiving before it closed its doors to make way for the growing multimillion-dollar York College expansion.[7]
Henry Ludder Jr., head of a committee within the Friends of Jamaica History, stated that St. Monica's Church was a historic site that "not only could be preserved – it could become an important community resource.[4] St. Monica's Church, the oldest Catholic Church on Long Island, was considered to be a fine and early example of Victorian Italianate public architecture.[4] A final Mass was held in June 1973, and the building has remained empty and slowly deteriorated since then.[4]
According to an article, St. Monica's Church became vacant and was in a deteriorating state in the 1970s; it was marked for demolition by the city's Housing Preservation and Developing Department.
It was listed by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1979 and on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[1]
Usage as day care center
St. Monica's Roman Catholic Church, after years of neglect and partial collapse, has been re-purposed as a child's day care center.[9] According to Robert Hampton, president of York College which is part of the City University System, St. Monica "symbolizes in many respects what York College symbolizes to its community. A place for people to transform their lives as St. Monica had to transform her life. It's important to have a sense of history."[9] In December 2003, ground was broken and acquired for the York College Child Care Center, cost a state-funded $4.7 million; this project's architecture represented "a fashion of something old and something new".[9] This two-story, 10,000-square-foot steel and glass day care center incorporated the two-story brick facade and bell tower, which were all that remained of the 1856 Roman Catholic Church.[9] The Church's walls and roof collapsed in 1999 following 12 days of torrential rain fall .[9] However, the relic was saved on the recommendation of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.[9]
This 10,000-square-foot red brick, steel and glass building was made to accommodate up to 100 kids; the ages of the children ranged from infants under six months of age to pre-schoolers.[10] The facility included learning spaces and eight playrooms; its hours of service then were from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for both day and night students.[10] According to York student and psychology major, Rita Kalu, "It will be really nice, and help the students stay in school and finish in four years' time."[10]
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- ^ Virginia Kurshan; Joan R. Olshansky & Elizabeth Spencer-Ralph (September 1979). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: St. Monica's Church". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Retrieved January 16, 2011. See also: "Accompanying six photos".
- ^ a b c d e f g h Document. Anonymous. "Landmarks Preservation Commission." March 13, 1979. Designation List 124 LP-1017. Saint Monica's Church.
- ^ a b c d e Article.Anonymous. "Jamaica History Friends Fight to Keep Historic St. Monica's." June 1, 1978.
- ^ a b c d e Article. Gray, Christopher. "An Elegant Romanesque Edifice Ruined by Neglect." New York Times. July 1, 1990.
- ^ a b Article. Anonymous. "Church to Junkpile." Long Island Press. August 12, 1975.
- ^ a b Article. Kranes, Marsha. "A Way of Life: Church 'dies' for a new college." Long Island Press. June 17, 1973.
- ^ a b c Article. Leahy, Jack. "St. Monica Closer to City Salvation." Daily News. June 27, 1978.
- ^ a b c d e f Article. English, Merle. "Divine Help For Students At York College: Church to become a daycare." NEWSDAY. January 11, 2004
- ^ a b c Article. Hendrik, Daniel. "York College To Build Child Care Center At St. Monica's." Queens Chronicle. December 18, 2003.