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Mon
Mar 28
2011

Plans For Old Church In West Kensington Making Progress


The abandoned St. Boniface Church of West Kensington held its last service in 2006 and the building has been vacant ever since. During the last year of the church’s life, it’s been in the worst shape we’ve seen it and the deterioration has become overwhelming. Stained glass windows were replaced with Plexiglas and, according to an official letter written by the Archdiocese and Redemptorist, the church’s structure is falling apart mainly because it is made of brownstone (others seem to think it was due to poor upkeep as well as a $7M price tag that would come along with all necessary repairs).


The Norris Square Civic Association (NSCA) bought the church, whose buildings cover the entire block (Norris Square), and has reached out for the help of the Community Design Collaborative to figure out the best way to revitalize the footprint of the demolished church and its surrounding structures. A team of volunteers (architects, preservationists, an electrical engineer and a cost estimator) were hired to do feasibility tests surrounding the ideas that NSCA had for the old site. After the tests, however, Patricia DeCarlo (executive director of NSCA), said the volunteer professionals really opened their eyes to new possibilities for the locale.

After a lot of research, the NSCA has decided that they would like to redevelop the space into a community center for West Kensington (there is a gymnasium already present that will be revamped as well as a school that will continue to be used as an educational facility). Board approval has already been acquired and $15M dollars has been raised for the project through city, state and federal grants. The NSCA will be presenting the final version of the plan for St. Boniface to the community in October and according to Danny Rodriguez, the construction supervisor and cost estimator, they are very excited for the project to be something that serves the community of West Kensington for many years to come. We are also anxious to see the final plan for the old church as it has potential to be something very beneficial for the area. For more information, visit the Design Collaborative blog.

Found in the church during cleaning. Seems important.

5
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments
  • Backtoharmony

    Your development organization the NSCA needs to be put out
    of business as soon as possible.  You’re
    destroying the spirit of our city.  You’re
    a money making machine without a conscious or a brain, parading around as
    something good for the community but clearly you’re not.  Can we please get someone from University of Penn
    community on this?  Penn values and saves
    all the old churches in its area.  But
    not you people, no, you destroy one of the all-time top 5 most beautiful
    churches ever built in Philadelphia history. 
    St Bonnie’s could have been saved or at least the front of it shold have
    been.

     
    The anger and rage I have against this NSCA development group cannot be understated. Like one person said so well in an earlier thread I saw on another site, “You mean to tell me the NSCA could not have taken down one of the many, many old drug infested ware houses in the area to do this project instead of eliminating and destroying this sacred, world class, historic, one in a million, human achievement of a church in the area to create this god dam inferior  project?  I’m sorry this church was too important in countless ways to destroy.   It could have easily been saved and become a community center and tourist attraction just for the tunnels, bomb shelter, bowling Alley and europien style church structure and organ alone.

    WTF people don’t you see how this church was like no other
    in Philly or anywhere in the country or world. 
    Are you really that blinded by your greed?  You wanted that park front property and would
    have destroyed anyone or anything to get it, is that it.  I am so discussed to read you plans for this
    site, knowing very well how many empty lots and vacant building just a block or
    2 away from this church you could have used instead and left this beautiful
    church off your chopping block.  All I
    can say is one day you will all pay for this. 
    And I for one will do all I can to become part of your demise.

     

    I will never forget what you have done to this community and
    to the spirit of Philadelphia by eliminating such a large piece of its history.
    As someone else also said, don’t you see this church is what makes Philly
    uniquely Philadelphia and not just another generic city or strip mall like
    place.  You people are fools with no
    insight all and need to pay for this crime against the soul and spirit of the
    people of Philadelphia.  You destroyed
    something that’s much bigger than you are and will ever be.  We need to stop this organization before they
    destroy any more of the most beautiful parts of our city, its history.

     

    Destroying St Bonnie’s was an act of violence against art,
    humanity and all that is good.  I am speechless
    and in disbelieve to read your future plans and your rationale for your
    unforgivable actions in our city.  What
    don’t you go somewhere else to destroy the heart and soul of a city and a
    people.  Your plans fall short; they are
    unimpressive and lack any real creativity or intelligence.  I am in disbelief that anyone would have the
    nerve to destroy a building like St. Bonnie’s so rich in artistry and detail.  It disgust me when I read of all the people
    who are using and recycling our church to make cheese boards, cutting boards,
    etc… to be sold to suburbanites, etc…   and then recycling its alter and doors to
    other places, like in the country in Middle Pennsylvania somewhere or in some
    suburban areas.  No, this church was designed for an urban environment, more specifically
    on the corner of Hancock and Diamond and nowhere else.  This is killing me.  And you people are low level life suckers.  Your the scum of the earth and must be stopped.   Trust me when I say this is not over as there are many who agree with me and are very outraged.

  • Hemptea6378

    the parish made the decision to close that church.  they took the stained glass, the alters and everything they considered sacred.  what was left was a dangerous empty shell that invited crime and blighted the neighborhood.  i for one am happy something is coming to breath new life onto the block. 

  • PhillyGirl05

    True. The Redemptorists decided that it would be too costly to repair the building and maintain it. The building was literally falling on parishioners heads. It would have cost millions just to repair the building. What is better: Have a pretty empty church that is structurally unsound and an invitation for crime or have housing, greenspace and amenities that the community needs?

  • PhillyGirl05

    True. The Redemptorists decided that it would be too costly to repair the building and maintain it. The building was literally falling on parishioners heads. It would have cost millions just to repair the building. What is better: Have a pretty empty church that is structurally unsound and an invitation for crime or have housing, greenspace and amenities that the community needs?

  • http://nakedphilly.com/kensington-2/civic-association-at-odds-with-councilwoman-over-zoning-matters/ Norris Square Civic Association At Odds With Councilwoman Over Zoning Matters | NakedPhilly

    [...] as pleasing to the eye as its exterior. But the demolition is done and the near $15M raised for the new development, which includes a community center and office space came from sources dedicated to opportunities for low income individuals project like these purport [...]

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