St. Monica's Church (Queens) facts for kids
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St. Monica's Church
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4-story facade, in 2018
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| Location | 94-20 160th Street, Jamaica, New York |
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| Built | 1856 |
| Architect | Anders Peterson, Rev. Anthony Farley |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002752 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 9, 1980 |
St. Monica's Church is a historic building in Jamaica, Queens, New York. It was once a Roman Catholic church, built in 1856. This brick building was designed in the Romanesque style, which looks a bit like old Roman buildings. It has a tall, four-story tower at the front. Today, St. Monica's Church has been given a new life as a child care center on the campus of York College.
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Contents
Building St. Monica's Church
St. Monica's Church was built by a skilled builder named Anders Peterson. He worked under the guidance of Reverend Anthony Farley. The church stands out because of its unique central tower, called a campanile. This tower reminds people of old Romanesque buildings.
An Early Romanesque Style
This church was one of the first buildings in New York to show the Early Romanesque Revival style. It was also one of the only Roman Catholic churches in the city built this way. Father Anthony Farley arrived at St. Monica's in 1854. He helped plan the new church on five pieces of land. A French woman from New York gave four of these lots to the church. Father Farley bought the fifth one himself.
The Construction Process
Building the church cost $25,000, which was a lot of money back then! Father Farley chose Anders Peterson as the main builder. Peterson was a Dane who also owned a local mill. He knew a lot about building in the area. He was also known for his excellent brickwork on other important churches nearby. The first stone of St. Monica's Church was placed in 1856. On August 15, 1857, Bishop Loughlin, the first Bishop of Brooklyn, officially opened the church.
Church Design and Features
St. Monica's Church was designed with red bricks in the Romanesque Revival style. It had a tall central tower and an Italian feel. Thin brick columns made the building look taller than it was. Most of the church's simple decorations were made from delicate brickwork on the side walls.
Inside, the church was a large open hall. It was redecorated twice, once in 1893 and again in the 1930s. The church was built without any support columns inside. This made the space very open and allowed it to seat 500 people. In the 1940s, Mario M. Cuomo, who later became a governor, was an altar boy at this church.
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Saving a Historic Building
Over time, St. Monica's Church faced challenges. It became empty and started to fall apart. Its beautiful stained-glass windows were broken, and parts of the roof were taken. Holes appeared in the walls, and all the seats inside were removed.
Why the Church Closed
The church closed its doors to make room for the growing York College. A final church service was held in June 1973. After that, the building stayed empty and slowly got worse.
Efforts to Preserve the Church
Many people wanted to save St. Monica's Church. Henry Ludder Jr., from the Friends of Jamaica History group, said it was a historic site that could be saved. He believed it could become an important resource for the community. St. Monica's Church was seen as a great example of old Victorian Italianate architecture.
In the 1970s, the city planned to tear down the church. But groups like the Friends of Jamaica History and the Queens Borough President's Office stepped in. They argued that the church could be fixed up and used again. They estimated it would cost between $300,000 and $500,000 to restore it. Because of these efforts, St. Monica's Church was officially recognized as a New York City Landmark in 1979. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
A New Purpose: Child Care Center
After many years of being empty and partly collapsing, St. Monica's Church found a new purpose. It was turned into a child care center.
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The Transformation Project
Robert Hampton, who was the president of York College, said that St. Monica's symbolizes how people can change their lives. He felt it was important to keep a sense of history. In December 2003, work began on the York College Child Care Center. This project cost $4.7 million, paid for by the state. The design mixed "something old and something new."
The new center is a two-story, 10,000-square-foot building made of steel and glass. It kept the original two-story brick front and bell tower of the old church. The church's walls and roof had fallen in 1999 after heavy rains. But the historic front part was saved because the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission recommended it.
What the Center Offers
This new building can care for up to 100 children. These children range from babies under six months old to preschoolers. The center has learning areas and eight playrooms. It used to be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. to help both day and night students at York College. A student named Rita Kalu said, "It will be really nice, and help the students stay in school and finish in four years' time."
Images for kids
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St. Monica's Church (1856) is a historic former Roman Catholic parish church in the Diocese of Brooklyn, located in Jamaica, Queens, New York.
