The historic Serbian Orthodox church that was gutted by a massive fire in May may be demolished.
The Cathedral of St. Sava, which is at 20 West 26th Street, wrote on its Facebook page, "As the remaining church walls are determined to be unstable during inclement weather and winds exceeding 25 mph, the DOB has, based on engineering recommendation, reached a decision to demolish the church. The demolition plans are being developed, and once approved, the dismantling of the building will commence. In the meantime, any unauthorized access to the church grounds, churchyard or the Parish Hall is strictly prohibited."
A Buildings Department source told the Post, "We will determine what steps must be taken to mitigate any safety risks posed by the property."
The NY Post also reports that the church could be "de-designated" as a landmark in order for demolition to proceed:
This has happened in the past, such as when the Brighton Heights Reformed Church on Staten Island was de-designated after a fire. De-designation means the owners can build on the site according to the property’s M1-6 zoning restrictions, which allow commercial or residential use.
The church leaders, however, could choose to rebuild the church and keep the landmark designation.
The fire was apparently started when candles that were not fully extinguished were left in a box by a caretaker.
The day after the fire, a person associated with the church told us that the church was insured, but it was unclear if the insurer would be solvent enough to cover the damage. The church, originally built as a Trinity Church parish, was designed by Richard Upjohn in the Gothic Revival style, with the neighboring parish school by Jacob Wrey Mould. It was sold to the Serbian church in 1944, and the building was designated a landmark in 1968.
