A Heyday of Construction The
Church of the Holy Apostles has provided a unique sanctuary in a bustling city during its
157 years at the corner of Ninth Avenue and 28th Street.
Church constructions
were in their heyday in the mid-1800's in New York. Many of the city's best-known church
buildings were erected then, including Trinity Wall Street, St. Thomas, Holy Communion,
and Ascension. Most of them were built in the best European "neoism" styles,
even though they were designed by American architects.
Minard Lafever, who
designed the Church of the Holy Apostles, was a popular architect of his day. His work is
found elsewhere in New York, and he was especially distinguished in the Greek and Gothic
Revival styles. This Church is interesting in that he introduced classic Italian elements
on the exterior and the interior displays a Tuscan order and groin vaults. It is a tribute
to Lafever's versatility that the Church, though quite unlike his other buildings in
style, has its own impressive quality of elegance.
The outstanding
feature of the Church is its very handsome spire enhanced by unusual detail. In the
context of its modern environment, the scale of the tower and spire is particularly
fortunate. While being the dominant feature of the Church, it provides relief and contrast
to the large apartment complexes that surround it, and the small Church holds its own
among these high apartment buildings.
The transition
between the square brick tower and the octagonal steeple is skillfully made by arched
pediments. The brick walls of the building provide a handsome wall surface that is
enhanced by the round-arched windows. Bull's-eye windows in the tower beneath the arched
pediments are a notable detail. The simplicity, boldness, and strong rhythm of this
composition set off the unusually large steeple to great advantage.
The cornerstone was
laid in 1846, and the building was initially completed in 1848. However, in 1854, the
Church was enlarged by contractors Moses and Hunt, extending it twenty-four feet eastward
while retaining its rectangular plan. Further enlargements were made in 1858 when
transepts, designed by Charles Babcock of Richard Upjohn & Son, were added. Another
major alteration was made in 1908 when the wooden spire was covered with slate and the
belfry clad in copper.
Structurally, the building is unusual for the thickness of
its outer walls, which bear
the weight not only of the slate roof and beam, but also the
weight of the vaulting. The vaulting is made of thick lath
and plaster and the columns are plastered wood. Beams
supporting the roof and vaulting are hand finished and
pegged together, using no nails, nuts, or bolts.
The Church was
designated a Landmark by the City of New York Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1966
and it is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places.
 In
1990, a devastating fire consumed parts of the roof, vaulted
ceiling, and stained glass windows, and there was extensive
water and smoke damage to the organ, walls, and furnishings.
The parish of the Church saw that the raw space of the
gutted church presented new possibilities
for the future. They determined that the pews would not be
replaced in order to provide a more flexible space --
including use of the nave as the main dining area for the
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.
On April 23,
1994,
after four years of rebuilding, the Church was rededicated by the Bishop of New York in a
festival service.
Even after the reopening of
the Church, the restoration continued. The final
project was the
replacement of the
copper
on the tower in 2003.
Top
Photo by Ted Sikorski ©
2003
|
