Squandered Heritage

55 responses so far ↓

• JDub // Oct 23, 2007 at 9:17 pm

  wow. how can we stop this. they also own the double gallery next door (which they have allowed to fall into disrepair and tried to demolish several times)

• crescentlady // Oct 24, 2007 at 6:15 am

  Well, they certainly won’t qualify for a public demo - at least they shouldn’t. A structure like this doesn’t become destabilized by high winds unless there was prior damage.

  If they can donate it to the city and take a tax write off, it can be repaired under the Stafford Act as a Library or something.

  Anyone have any Garden District contacts that can see what’s up? Is it on the demolition list? It will go under HDLC review. Surely they won’t approve the demo.

• crescentlady // Oct 24, 2007 at 6:16 am

  The salvage alone on this could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

• Editor B // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:02 am

  Is this building on a demolition list?

• Karen Gadbois // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:04 am

  This building in on NO LIST or Review. BUT the owners of the building are claiming that it is in danger of collapse.

• Scott A // Oct 24, 2007 at 4:30 pm

  The windows, interior millwork and curved pews are amazing. From the photos the building looks structurally sound, if a bit neglected. This building should be saved.

• Carl G // Oct 25, 2007 at 5:45 am

  Is this building owned by the Archdiocese or is it independently owned ? If it’s’ the ARCHNO it does not surprise me. They have no regard for historic buildings in New Orleans or for their parishoners. Look what happened to Cabrini.

• Karen Gadbois // Oct 25, 2007 at 10:09 am

  Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church

  Rev.Moses Gordon

• Shanna Riley // Oct 31, 2007 at 3:17 pm

  This simply can’t be demolished - such a lovely, old church, such history and design. This is so depressing.

• Karen Gadbois // Oct 31, 2007 at 3:22 pm

  This will probably be on the agenda in November. Keep an eye on this site for more information.

• Zelda Sayre // Nov 2, 2007 at 9:03 am

  FYI– it’s 2101 Prytania, uptown lake at Josephine–not 2601.

• Adair // Nov 2, 2007 at 9:51 am

  I don’t think that 2601 Prytania is the correct address for this church. The 2600 block of Prytania is between 3rd and 4th Streets. This church, I think, is below Jackson in the 1800 or 1900 block, I think.
  I completely agree; it’s much too lovely to tear down!

• Karen Gadbois // Nov 3, 2007 at 7:37 am

  Thanks for the correction

• Red County, California: Carnival of Hurricane Relief, #113 // Nov 8, 2007 at 10:54 am

  […] 2101 Prytania ChurchSeparation of church and state? Okay, that was a lame segue — but a great old church is slated for demolition in NOLA. […]

• NOLA3 // Nov 28, 2007 at 11:44 pm

  Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church
  Dr. Moses S. Gordon, II, Pastor

• cscott // Dec 5, 2007 at 10:55 am

  They own the house next door on Prytania and also behind on Josephine. This is attempted demolition by neglect. I would hate to see this happen and as a neighbor, planning on fighting this.

• Herb // Dec 9, 2007 at 12:18 am

  This is sad. I have friends who once had a ministry in this church building for over 20 years. They sold the property to a Missionary Baptist Church in the 1980’s and moved to another state. I was in New Orleans in the summer of 2006 and took several photos of the building. It is sad if this building is slated for destruction.

• SusanP182 // Dec 20, 2007 at 12:26 pm

  This is two blocks from my house…it is real eyesore to ALL of us in the neighborhood!! I actually was amazed at the inside. The inside damage, had to be from roof damage. It has been in dis-repair since before Katrina though.Keep up the GREAT work Karen !!

• Jay // May 6, 2008 at 10:48 am

  Does anyone know how to contact Dr. Moses S. Gordon, Jr.? Perhaps he would be willing to negotiate. I think his brother [Rev. Crispus Gordon still lives in New Orleans]. I’m sure the City of NO tax Assessor’s office for the district can find someone to answer inquiries on the building. Who knows, they may be more than willing to let the building go to those who can care for it.

• Nailah // May 19, 2008 at 6:49 pm

  This is strange because I actually know the family and could possibly find the owners but what good would that do. They now live in Hammond La.

• Big Cajun // May 28, 2008 at 8:46 pm

  I was a member of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church for years and @SusanP182 the church was not in disrepair before Katrina as a mater of fact the interior was renovated before Katrina and the building was well maintained. The building is a great building but with the mass exodus of parishioners the church has been unable to raise the money to fully repair the church. I know the owners and they are doing there best to bring the church back. Destruction is the last option after all others are exhausted.

• Flash // Jul 19, 2008 at 8:53 pm

  Why not contact EXTREME Makeover…They did a Great job on First Emmanuel Baptist Church, Pastor Southall.

  Consider it…it is worth a try.

• NOLA3 // Sep 15, 2008 at 7:37 pm

  Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church
  New Orleans, LA
  Rev. Dr. Moses S. Gordon, II, Pastor

• Lynn // Dec 11, 2008 at 1:12 pm

  Karen, I’m surfing real estate and both this church as well as others are for sale …this one with 5,000 sq. ft. residence listed as possible tear-down …..church over 20,000 sq. ft. Both are stated Katrina damaged ….church needing extensive restoration according to listing. Asking price thru Sotheby’s (Dorian Bennett) is $1,800,000. Also listed recently the infamous LaLaurie Mansion on Royal. Other listings currently include the Anne Rice House on First, apparently still not sold, Magnolia Harris Mansion, Mansion DeVille and Audubon Cottages, the House on Bayou Road, and in truth it seems as if at least half of Nola is for sale. I saw some houses on Apricot Street; they do not appear in these listings to have cat’s claw, nor do they appear to be either bayou or lake property (just sayen’ how they are listed!). What does appear to be selling are houses by architects Sulley and Gallier, amazingly enuf property on the Avenue seems to be moving. “The Painted Lady” pink house sold also.
  I was doing a little Xmas dreaming plus I have a cold so I needed a break from flickr. It was freezing here literally this morning; hard freeze across creek and highway ….35 right now.
  I found this when I did a google to find out what church this was in the Lower Garden District.

• Flash // Jun 1, 2009 at 6:35 pm

  Well, has anybody contacted Extreme Makeover? They did a great job with First Emmanuel BC by Dr. Southall. It would be a great loss to that area of town. Has anyone contacted Louise M School down the street…maybe they can use this property? What about a community place for the area? Maybe the councilperson can help.
  Did anyonr buy it…I could not find the info? Great pictures too!

• anthony posey // Aug 4, 2009 at 10:20 pm

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/60053005@N00/sets/72157621949368540/

• Anthony Posey // Aug 5, 2009 at 8:02 pm

  it is for sale i have many photos of it, am working as a buyers agent hoping to find a buuyer and help them purchase

• Shelia // Sep 6, 2009 at 10:43 pm

  Are there any other photos? I used to live in a house next door to the church. It was the one on the right side of the church when you are looking at the church.

• Shelia // Sep 6, 2009 at 10:48 pm

  I also went to church there.

• John Allen // Mar 20, 2010 at 1:17 am

  Convert it to condos - lord knows they would make a fortune -

• Audry V. Dunbar // Jun 1, 2010 at 1:27 am

  This church was inspected by the proper authority and it was said that the main support structure was damaged and that it could not be repaired.So we put the building up for sale and if there is some one with enough money to repair it then they have our blessings to buy it.The building was over one hundred years old when it was purchased.

• Keenan // Oct 19, 2010 at 4:10 pm

  Please feel free to email the details of this building. We maybe interested in a purchase.

• Keenan // Oct 19, 2010 at 4:11 pm

  k_dufauchard@yahoo.com

• Kori Henry // Nov 12, 2010 at 10:59 am

  I spoke with the realtor yesterday while still in NOLA. The parsonage home next door has a contract, if that home sells, any hope for the church selling would be cut in half. There is no parking on the church lot. The only slight section of yard is on the opposite side of the home. I wish I had a million dollars. It’s my dream photography studio/restaurant/home for our self employed family.

• Kori Henry // Nov 12, 2010 at 11:00 am

  I was also told the home behind the church on Josephine isn’t for sale and not part of this property.

• Kori Henry // Nov 12, 2010 at 11:36 am

  Now……I have the realtor calling me back telling me the property is sold. I’m confused. I didn’t have ANY interest if the house was sold without the cathedral only the package and they had a contract with stipulations on the home. They weren’t going to sell it as individual unless they had a buyer for the church and the home or the package. They only have a buyer of the home which is SCARY…….no way to protect and save the church at that point.

• Kori Henry // Nov 12, 2010 at 11:41 am

  http://www.jamesshawphotography.com/

  There are some great shots of it here in abandoned.

• August // Jan 8, 2011 at 12:36 am

  As I type, I belive the church is burning. Very Fishy!!!

• Twitter Trackbacks for 2101 Prytania Church | Squandered Heritage [squanderedheritage.com] on Topsy.com // Jan 8, 2011 at 12:53 am

  […] 2101 Prytania Church | Squandered Heritage squanderedheritage.com/2007/10/23/2601-prytania-church/ – view page – cached I went to look at this Church the other day. I had never been inside and I wanted to see the Stained Glass up close. […]

• Melia // Jan 8, 2011 at 1:41 am

  Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire this evening along with the house next door…what a loss.

• Jeff // Jan 8, 2011 at 3:10 am

  it’s burned down now.

• M Styborski // Jan 8, 2011 at 3:51 am

  Too late now. Both properties up in smoke. How� coincidental�

• M Styborski // Jan 8, 2011 at 3:54 am

  Does it make any sense to follow the statement “the main support structure was damaged and that it could not be repaired” with the statement “if there is some one with enough money to repair it then they have our blessings to buy it”?

• scott // Jan 8, 2011 at 4:11 am

  did this burn?

• Zelda Sayre // Jan 8, 2011 at 8:42 am

  It’s gone now. The owners’ prayers came true.

• Denise Rednour // Jan 8, 2011 at 10:26 am

  Sadly now gone. As of last night a six alarm fire totally destroyed it and the blighted house owned by the church next door as well.

• AUdubon5425 // Jan 8, 2011 at 10:59 am

  Looks like they got the demo they wanted:

  http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/4-alarm_fire_burning_uptown_tv.html

• Benjazen // Jan 8, 2011 at 12:05 pm

  Tragic fire 1/7/11. We are saddened and sickened.
  URL to the Times-Picayune article below.

  http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/4-alarm_fire_burning_uptown_tv.html

• herb // Jan 8, 2011 at 1:49 pm

  This is sad. I was notified the the building burned last night by friends who had the church back in the 60’s, 70’s, and early 80’s. They had to do a lot of work on the structure when they bought it. They also owned the houses behind it, next to it including the bed and breakfast on both corners. They sold the property off along with Aurora Gardens Academy when they left New Orleans in the late 1980’s. That old church was so beautiful on the inside when they had it. I have got photos of it pre and post Katrina. It is a shame it couldn’t be saved.

• Kori Henry // Jan 8, 2011 at 3:55 pm

  I had NOT QUIT calling about this property and had plans to come back down and throw a fit with realtors over it the last week of January. I was told over and over that the property was sold, only to find out last week that it was not sold. To make this entire situation even more strange for our family, my 16 month old daughter, whom has visited that property with us on 3 occasions in the last year, NEVER EVER cries or has trouble sleeping. I mean has NEVER EVER in her life stayed up past 9 pm, nor gotten up in the night by crying. She is NOT sick and has been her normal precious self. She began crying and whining around 9:15 last night and we tried to put her in bed. She laid there for a second and started screaming at the top of her lungs. She has NEVER done that either and we both totally ran to her side. She looked as if she had seen a ghost and was freaked out sitting up and screaming and crying so loud as if in pain! She stayed up from 9pm last night until she finally dozed a little between 4 and 6 am. She is back awake like normal and just fine now. She never had a fever or anything wrong last night other than wanted to be held tight by me or my husband and would scream if we put her back down alone. To wake up this morning to read this has me speechless with my hair standing on end. I even have portraits of her on the gates of this property in anticipation of it being our home and my portrait studio and gallery within it.

• Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church: Another One Bites the Dust | nolagraphy.com // Jan 9, 2011 at 11:46 pm

  […] Ho-hum.  Another fire.  Ho-hum.  Another historic building lost.  Depressing.  The Coliseum Theater (lost February 2006) and the Coliseum Baptist Church (lost June 2006) both within ten blocks of this building have also perished in flames since The Flood.  Here’s what the interior the church looked like in 2007 via Squandered Heritage.  Below is the most recent oblique view of the church from Google Maps. […]

• Kori Henry // Jan 12, 2011 at 7:44 pm

  Has anybody been paying attention to Felicity United Methodist Church? 1816 Chestnut St

  At my last visit in November, it was still vacant and for sale.

• Kori Henry // Jan 12, 2011 at 10:49 pm

  Is the church being torn down right after it’s burned or are they at least investigating it’s fire? Are they at least trying to salvage any of the building’s remains? The front doors were still in tact after it burned. The house next doors exterior porch posts and decor was still in tact and un burned.

  I see in the image posted in this link that it is down farther than it was after it burned.
  http://nolagraphy.com/?p=183

• Fires Take Their Toll | Preservation in Mississippi // Jan 20, 2011 at 7:02 am

  […] I have also recently heard bad news from New Orleans. It seems one of the churches I took pictures of on my recent trip to NOLA and showed on “To New Orleans and Back,” the old Prytania Presbyterian Church (Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church), burned down, along with its fine old manse on the night of January 8. Here’s a WDSU video showing the collapse of the front wall. You can also find much better pictures than mine, including some showing the once grand interior on the Squandered Heritage blog. […]

• Letter to the editor: Pastor of burned church “ought to be pleased” » Uptown Messenger // Nov 9, 2011 at 11:59 am

  […] What Rev. Gordon fails to mention is that he had previously applied to the city to demolish the structure, working through Steven Gill, a local attorney who is also a member of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. In 2007, a public hearing was held on the matter with the HDLC. The Preservation Resource Center opposed the demolition proposed by Rev. Gordon and noted the foregoing in its “Demolition Threats” feature in its “Preservation in Print” newsletter. Karen Gadbois reported on this on her “Squandered Heritage” blog. […]

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