Thursday, October 2, 2008

Demolition begins on historic Sedamsville church

Demolition began today on the historic St. Martin's German Evangelical Church in Sedamsville.

Bulldozers began tearing off the back wall of the High Victorian Gothic structure, which has stood at 2654 River Road since 1892.

The landmark is being razed by Arlon Brown and Collins Riverside Development, who have proposed a $50 million condominium project for the site called Harbor Lights.

The project would require the demolition of up to 30 Sedamsville properties.

So far only a handful have been razed, but this building is the most prominent.

St. Martin's is widely considered the centerpiece of the proposed Sedamsville River Road Historic District, which includes 58 properties on the northwest side of River Road and southwest of Ansonia Avenue.

On August 1, the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board recommended the historic district for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

While National Register status cannot prevent further demolitions, it could make the proposed condominium project ineligible for federal funds.

The church had been vacant for nearly three decades and, until Brown purchased it, had been for sale since April 2005.

The steeple will be wrecked by hand.

Photo credit: Todd, Sedamsville resident

Previous reading on BC:
Centerpiece of historic Sedamsville threatened (8/22/08)
City has little say in Sedamsville demolitions (5/14/08)
Sedamsville wants demo delay on possible condo project (4/17/08)