Eye on the Street

The church building at 448 Warren Street, constructed between 1867 and 1869 as the Universalist Church, has seen a lot of change in the past dozen years. Its current owner purchased it in March 2014 and in September 2014 embarked on what was described as a "complete and accurate restoration" of the building. The brick was repointed by an award-winning masonry contractor who had also done work at Olana. Brownstone needed for repairs was imported from England because it was most like the brownstone available in this country in the 1860s. The restoration was promised to be "absolutely in kind."

Unfortunately, the textbook restoration of the building was never completed. The last work done on the building happened in 2016, when the missing steeple was replaced with a simple cap. Since then, the building was stood abandoned and ignored, to the extent that property taxes were not being paid. Earlier this year, the building was on the City's foreclosure list for back taxes and penalties totaling $359,763.89. The building was redeemed in July, when the amount due was paid in full and in cash.

Today, furnishings were observed being removed from the building. 

Could it be the current owner is getting ready to sell the building? Who's to say? Gossips will keep an eye on the situation.

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