Historic Serbian Orthodox Church Destroyed in NYC Blaze Was Negotiating With Developer
The Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava that was gutted in a massive blaze on West 26th Street in New York City Sunday was engaged in a contentious negotiation process with luxury real estate developer Madison Equities to raise funds to help restore the historic church.
The Real Deal reported in 2014 that Madison Equities sued the church for "allegedly breaching a letter of intent by not disclosing a $13.5 million bill the religious institution owed to brokerage Tenantwise. Madison agreed to help fix up the landmarked sanctuary on West 26th Street in exchange for the use of its air rights."
"Madison is looking to tap into unused air rights at the site of the landmarked church at 13 West 25th Street, as well as those belonging to the property adjacent to the church — just under 200,000 square feet of air rights in total — to construct a commercial building," said the report.
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Just hours before the fire, parishioners celebrated Serbian Orthodox Easter with a church service and lunch, according to NY1.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro told the New York Post that there had been 700 people inside the church for the Orthodox Easter service. The massive four-alarm blaze which started shortly before 7 p.m. required a force of 170 firefighters, FDNY officials told the Post. There were no reports of major injures. Three firefighters and a church caretaker suffered minor smoke inhalation.
"It's a very sad day today," Nigro told the Post. "They had their Mass at 10 a.m. and then a luncheon. The good news is that there was no one inside when the fire started and there are no injuries."
As the blaze ripped through the building Sunday, Alex Velic, a 31-year-old churchgoer, said he was shocked by the spectacle.
"For this to happen on such a holy day, I don't know what to say," he said.
Nigro said the cause of the fire was still being investigated. Velic, however, speculated that the fire could have been caused by the many candles that were lit during the service Sunday.
"I can only imagine there were thousands of people coming to this church lighting candles," he said. "The candles may have caused it."
New York City Council member Corey Johnson called for a full investigation of the fire in a statement and noted in a tweet that a developer "wants to build 850ft tower here."
"I am devastated by the fire that destroyed the Serbian Cathedral of Saint Sava at 15 West 25th Street in Chelsea. My thoughts and prayers are with the cathedral's clergy and parishioners, who celebrated Orthodox Easter Sunday there just hours before the fire began. This is a huge loss for the community. In addition to being a place of worship, this historic building was a New York City landmark, treasured by the people of Flatiron and Chelsea," Johnson said in his statement. "I am calling for a full investigation to uncover the cause of this fire. Determining the fire's cause is vital."
According to New York Architecture, "What became St. Sava Cathedral in 1944 officially began in 1850 as Trinity Chapel." The publication noted that the early English Gothic, architectural style of the church, designed by renowned architect Richard M. Upjohn, was considered unique on the continent at that time.
"Among its more unusual and immediately apparent aspects were the lack of a tower and the lack of ornamentation. Its fine proportions, and edifice, rugged, but pleasing in character, reinforced with large buttresses, quickly won Upjohn acclaim as did the picturesque and charming Clergy House attached to the rear of the building."
It was the church's interior, however, that was seen as Upjohn's masterpiece, explained the publication.
"Its loftiness and brilliance of proportion make it entirely different from anything else of its time. The most striking features, the long single aisled nave and open roof ceiling, resemble St. Louis' 13th Century Sainte Chapelle in Paris. When combined with the fully exposed truss ceiling of Norway pine, the beautifully polychromed panels with gold stars on a field of blue, and the painted apse walls (by German artist Habastrak), the chapel interior becomes as ecclesiastically proper as its Mother Church," it said.
The leadership of Saint Sava declared on its Facebook page that "We will rebuild the Cathedral!" and is currently accepting donations on its website.
