St. George's Syrian Catholic Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. George's Syrian Catholic Church |
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| Location | 103 Washington Street Manhattan, New York City |
| Area | Financial District Lower Manhattan |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Built | 1812 |
| Built for | Immigrant tenants |
| Restored | 1929 |
| Restored by | Harvey F. Cassab |
| Architectural style(s) | Neo-Gothic |
| Governing body | Private |
| Owner | Chapel Moran, Inc. |
| Designated | July 14, 2009 |
| Reference no. | 2167 |
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St. George's Syrian Catholic Church is an old church building in New York City. It is located at 103 Washington Street in the Financial District of Manhattan. This building is important because it is the last reminder of the Syrian American and Lebanese American people who once lived in an area called Little Syria.
Contents
History of the St. George's Church Building
From Boardinghouse to Church
The building was first built around 1812. It had three stories and a pointed roof. By 1850, it was used as a boardinghouse for people who had just moved to the city. In 1869, two more stories were added to the building.
In 1925, a man named George E. Bardwil bought the building. He was a textiles importer. He bought it for the Syrian Greek Catholic church. This church was started in 1889 to help the Syrian and Lebanese-American people living in the Little Syria neighborhood. This area was also known as the Syrian Quarter.
Four years later, in 1929, an architect named Harvey F. Cassab was hired. He was a Lebanese-American designer. He created a new front for the building. His design was in a style called neo-Gothic. It was made of white terra cotta (a type of clay). It also had a colorful picture of St. George and the Dragon. This beautiful front is still there today.
Changes Over Time
After World War II, many Syrian and Lebanese people moved away from the area. Part of the community was even destroyed to build the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel ramps. The people from the Eastern Mediterranean region later moved to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.
The building was briefly used by a different Catholic church. Then, it was no longer used as a church. In 1982, a company called Moran Inc. bought the building. They turned it into an Irish pub. The pub is now closed, but Moran Inc. still owns and takes care of the building.
A Landmark Building
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission decided that the building was a special New York City landmark. This happened on July 14, 2009. This means the building is protected because of its history and unique design.
A Spooky Story Connection?
Some people believe this church building might have inspired a famous horror writer, H.P. Lovecraft. He wrote a story called "The Horror at Red Hook". The building was first built by a man named Ryneer Suydam. This name is very similar to a character in Lovecraft's story, Robert Suydam. Some think that the building changing from an old apartment building to a Gothic church might have given Lovecraft ideas for his spooky tale.
See Also
