Church of the Holy Communion and Buildings
Encyclopedia
The Church of the Holy Communion and Buildings are historic Episcopal
church buildings at 656-662 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue) at West 20th Street in the Flatiron District of Manhattan
, New York City
.
The church is a New York City landmark, designated in 1966, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1980. It is located within New York City's Ladies' Mile Historic District
.
, and was consecrated
in 1846. In 1853 Upjohn completed the Parish House and Rectory
on West 20th Street, and in 1854 he built the Sister's House. The design of the church, which features brownstone blocks chosen for placement at random, made the church "one of the most influential buildings of the 19th century". It was:
Muhlenberg believed that the Gothic style was "the true architectural expression of Christianity."
At the time it was built, the neighborhood around the church was still a fashionable residential area, with homes lining Sixth Avenue. By the late 19th century, as the city continued to expand uptown, the area had become part of the "Ladies' Mile"
shopping district, with Sixth Avenue lined with giant department stores and dry goods emporia, which by World War I had all either moved uptown or closed.
By the 1970s, with the city at the depth of its financial problems, the neighborhood was virtually abandoned, being neither residential nor retail, excepting some car dealerships. In 1975 the declining parish merged with those of Calvary Church
, on Park Avenue South at East 21st Street, and St. George's Church
, at Stuyvesant Square
, and the combined parish of Calvary-St. Seorge's
sold the Church of the Holy Communion to Odyssey House
, a drug rehabilitation
program, in order to meet its fiscal obligations. Odyssey House, in turn, sold the buildings to nightclub
entrepreneur Peter Gatien
, who opened the New York Limelight
club there in 1983.
, The Limelight
. After frequent problems with the police and charges of rampant drug abuse in the club, it was closed, but reopened in 2003 under the name "Avalon". It closed permanently in 2007.
retail store Lounge, James Mansour of Mansour Design, and Melisca Klisanin, Creative Director, the marketplace is a three-story venue consisting of more than 60 small, high-end shops, selling jewelry, clothing, organic goods and other items. It was promoted with a campaign which utilized advertisements on local buses, taxicabs, and billboards.
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
church buildings at 656-662 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue) at West 20th Street in the Flatiron District of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The church is a New York City landmark, designated in 1966, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1980. It is located within New York City's Ladies' Mile Historic District
Ladies' Mile Historic District
The Ladies' Mile Historic District was designated in May 1989, by the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission to preserve an irregular district of 440 buildings on 28 blocks and parts of blocks in Manhattan, from roughly 18th Street to 24th Street and from Park Avenue South to west of the...
.
History
The Gothic Revival church building was constructed in 1844-1845 according to a design by Richard UpjohnRichard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to such popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the...
, and was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
in 1846. In 1853 Upjohn completed the Parish House and Rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
on West 20th Street, and in 1854 he built the Sister's House. The design of the church, which features brownstone blocks chosen for placement at random, made the church "one of the most influential buildings of the 19th century". It was:
[the] first asymmetrical Gothic Revival church edifice in the United States ... Upjohn designed the building to resemble a small medieval English parish church ... The church's founder, the Reverend William Muhlenberg, a leader of the evangelical Catholic within the Episcopal Church, was closely involved with the design ...
Muhlenberg believed that the Gothic style was "the true architectural expression of Christianity."
At the time it was built, the neighborhood around the church was still a fashionable residential area, with homes lining Sixth Avenue. By the late 19th century, as the city continued to expand uptown, the area had become part of the "Ladies' Mile"
Ladies' Mile Historic District
The Ladies' Mile Historic District was designated in May 1989, by the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission to preserve an irregular district of 440 buildings on 28 blocks and parts of blocks in Manhattan, from roughly 18th Street to 24th Street and from Park Avenue South to west of the...
shopping district, with Sixth Avenue lined with giant department stores and dry goods emporia, which by World War I had all either moved uptown or closed.
By the 1970s, with the city at the depth of its financial problems, the neighborhood was virtually abandoned, being neither residential nor retail, excepting some car dealerships. In 1975 the declining parish merged with those of Calvary Church
Calvary Church (Manhattan)
Calvary Church is an Episcopal church located at 273 Park Avenue South on the corner of East 21st Street in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on the border of the Flatiron District. It was designed by James Renwick, Jr., the architect who designed St. Patrick's Cathedral...
, on Park Avenue South at East 21st Street, and St. George's Church
St. George's Episcopal Church (Manhattan)
St. George's Episcopal Church is a historic church located at 209 East 16th Street at Rutherford Place, on Stuyvesant Square in Manhattan, New York City. Called "one of the first and most significant examples of Early Romanesque Revival church architecture in America", the church exterior was...
, at Stuyvesant Square
Stuyvesant Square
__notoc__Stuyvesant Square is a park in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located between 15th Street and 17th Street and Rutherford Place and Nathan D. Perlman Place, formerly Livingston Place. Second Avenue divides the park into two halves, east and west, and each half is surrounded by the...
, and the combined parish of Calvary-St. Seorge's
Calvary-St. George's Parish
Calvary-St. George's Parish is an Episcopal parish in Manhattan, New York City. It was formed in 1976 from the merger of the parishes of three churches which were in close proximity:*St...
sold the Church of the Holy Communion to Odyssey House
Odyssey House
Odyssey House Texas, Inc., located in Houston, Texas is a private not-for-profit organization established in 1989 to provide treatment and education to youth and families whose lives have been devastated by drugs, alcohol, and abuse...
, a drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
program, in order to meet its fiscal obligations. Odyssey House, in turn, sold the buildings to nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
entrepreneur Peter Gatien
Peter Gatien
Peter Gatien was the owner of several New York nightclubs, including The Limelight, Palladium, Club USA, and Tunnel. He was once dubbed as the "King of New York Clubs", during his time in New York City.-Life and career:...
, who opened the New York Limelight
The Limelight
The Limelight is the name of a chain of nightclubs that were owned and operated by Peter Gatien, located in Atlanta, Hollywood, Florida, and London, and formerly in New York City and Chicago.-History:...
club there in 1983.
Nightclub
From 1983 until 2007, the church was utilized as a nightclubNightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, The Limelight
The Limelight
The Limelight is the name of a chain of nightclubs that were owned and operated by Peter Gatien, located in Atlanta, Hollywood, Florida, and London, and formerly in New York City and Chicago.-History:...
. After frequent problems with the police and charges of rampant drug abuse in the club, it was closed, but reopened in 2003 under the name "Avalon". It closed permanently in 2007.
Marketplace
On May 7, 2010, the building was reopened as a retail mall called the Limelight Marketplace. Conceived by Jack Menashe, who formerly owned SoHoSoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
retail store Lounge, James Mansour of Mansour Design, and Melisca Klisanin, Creative Director, the marketplace is a three-story venue consisting of more than 60 small, high-end shops, selling jewelry, clothing, organic goods and other items. It was promoted with a campaign which utilized advertisements on local buses, taxicabs, and billboards.
See also
- Church of the Holy Communion, New Jersey
- Limelight (nightclub)
- St. George's Episcopal Church (Manhattan)St. George's Episcopal Church (Manhattan)St. George's Episcopal Church is a historic church located at 209 East 16th Street at Rutherford Place, on Stuyvesant Square in Manhattan, New York City. Called "one of the first and most significant examples of Early Romanesque Revival church architecture in America", the church exterior was...
- Calvary Church (Manhattan)Calvary Church (Manhattan)Calvary Church is an Episcopal church located at 273 Park Avenue South on the corner of East 21st Street in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on the border of the Flatiron District. It was designed by James Renwick, Jr., the architect who designed St. Patrick's Cathedral...