I love this building (that I assume at one point served as a church) across the street from Samuel Gompers Park in Mt. Vernon Square:
Anyone know if/when it closed?
Close ups after the jump. (more…)
Churches
I just noticed this section of cool old fence behind the National Cathedral. It’s pretty wild because it is just one small section that has no function (there is a plain chainlink all the way around behind it).
Incidentally I had no idea it was only completed in 1990. I though it was much older than that.
Luther Place Memorial Church is located at 1226 Vermont Ave. NW, on Thomas Circle. This church has previously been featured for its mural of St. Francis. Following are the words given by the Rev. Karen Brau during the dedication of this mural:
We welcome to the 14th Street side of the Sacred Commons at Luther Place Church The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., painted by Amanda Weber. We honor Dr. King, born January 15, 1929, as a preacher who led a movement to bring civil rights to African American people, fulfilling this nation’s vision that all people are created equal. Using the powerful biblical theme of God’s love that liberates and sets free all who are in bondage, Dr. King appealed to a deep place of faith that called forth holy imagination from all manner of people. Dr. King was a strong and prophetic voice for change, knowing that it would be non-violent organized effort that would transform the degrading laws and policies that kept some people partial citizens in our nation. We learned again about dreaming from Dr. King, and we learned to reach out across barriers that kept us apart in order to move together towards that holy mountain where all God’s children live in harmony. The task is still not complete, so we life up a Saint whose guidance we still require and who teaches us that we need each other.
On August 28, 1963, Dr. King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech just south of here in DC. In that speech he proclaimed passionately, “We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.”
St. Martin of Birmingham, you gave your life to a dream of reconciliation and peace, may we not endlessly defer that dream, instead may we keep marching towards it strengthened by love and sustained by hope.
St. Martin of Birmingham joins the St. Francis of Assisi Door on the Thomas Circle side of the Sacred Commons at Luther Place. Look for the 3rd in our door triptych on the Vermont Ave side of the Sacred Commons in Spring, 2011.
The Rev. Karen Brau
Senior Pastor
Luther Place Memorial Church,
January 15, 2011
The Post’s Jonathan O’Connell recently wrote an update:
“Builders planning to tear down a concrete church after a years-long feud over the historic value of D.C. buildings are moving forward in earnest after a major local developer bought into the property as a partner.”
The Third Church of Christ is located at 16th and I St, NW and was “ designed by the firm of architect I.M. Pei in 1971 and is one of a limited number of Washington examples of Brutalist architecture”.
More updates when/if demolition takes place.
I love the Russian Orthodox Cathedral Of St John The Baptist at 4001 17th St, NW. I’ve shown it before but it was looking so good last weekend I couldn’t resist sharing again.
Thanks to PoPville flickr user pablo.raw for uploading these great shots of Rev. Rob Hardies blessing pets at the All Souls Church Unitarian on 16th and Harvard St, NW.
“Dear PoP,
My phone picture doesn’t do this building justice, but the Fisherman’s Church near the intersection of Georgia and New Hampshire deserves an award. This historic building was one of the first movie theaters in DC and now it is a true blight to the neighborhood. What is hard to see here is the attempts at several different paint colors (purple, Orange, brown), but the new addition of a chunk of plastic siding is a real beauty.
Here is hoping that when the economy gets better, somebody will make them an offer they can’t refuse. This place is amazing on the inside and would make a great DC Cinema Draft house.”
I can’t nominate this as a Horses Ass Award because it is a functioning church. They also have put a bit of money in for internal renovations. A horse ass award is reserved for buildings that have fallen into disrepair and are vacant with no known improvements for months/years. This church actually has a really interesting historyas you noted. It used to be a theater in the 1920s.
I do happen to know that developers have tried to purchase this property a few times but were unable to. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a DC Cinema Draft house somewhere but at the moment this is an active church that is a positive member of the community so I wish them and their congregation well.
What do you guys think – do you feel this property is a blight?
I found this one on 16th St, NW way up north on my way back from today’s house of the day.
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I seriously don’t mean to be disrespectful. I genuinely think this is an amazing sculpture. It’s from: (more…)