Secret Angel Still Wants to Save St. Brigid's

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Archiseek / Ireland / News / 2006 / August 3

In other East Village demolition news, though the wrecking ball has been stayed—for now—at St. Brigid's, fans and former parishioners are still fuming that the Archdiocese turned down offers by an anonymous "angel" to either repair or buy the Avenue B church in order to save it. An attorney for the donor, Gary Kravetz, said his client was "absolutely still interested" in preserving the so-called Famine Church--even though its 158-year-old stained glass has been shattered, its organ dismantled, and the gothic reredos (altar screen)--hand-carved by church architect Patrick Keely himself—appears to have been hacked off. Kravetz said his client first offered to donate a large sum to fix that big crack that opened up on the north wall. When that was rejected, the donor offered to buy the church outright and turn it into cultural/educational center.

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