May 1, 2017

In Memory

A year ago on what was a quiet Easter Sunday we learned the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava was ablaze. A photo from someone’s twitter feed showed a tongue of fire lashing from the church’s giant wheel window. Jenniece was in the office that day and saw the fire firsthand. As a preservationist in New York, I’ve learned to not dwell on losses long and instead, shift focus to new challenges. But this one is different: A gorgeous Richard-f—king-Upjohn Gothic edifice. There’s a pang I feel every time I arrive on the block; I’m sure I’m not the only one. The surviving outer walls have provided a unique opportunity to study its pre-machine age construction, which drew on the same building traditions employed for hundreds of years. The fire was just one event in what became a momentous year. Many parallels can be drawn, but I’ll leave it at this: Those walls are solid.
– Marissa Marvelli, BKSK Historic Preservation Specialist

To read a fuller history of the church, check out our previous Po(st).