Congregation Concerned NE Development Will Rattle Historic Church
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Parishioners of a Minneapolis church are trying to get people who don't attend to take on their cause.
Our Lady of Lourdes is holding a meeting Thursday to inform people about the skyscraper that's been proposed a few doors down. The church is the oldest in the city, and parishioners are worried major construction could shake the integrity of the building.
The Nicollet East Bank Neighborhood Association approved the plans and say the new tower, which will sit atop Nye's current building, will be good for the historical neighborhood.
Lady of Lourdes was built in 1854. Sarah Lippert says she enjoys the congregation.
"It's a nice welcoming, young community, that's why I like it," she said.
Ann Marie Cosgrove says her family helped found the congregation.
"The small window up there is my great grandparents' window, it has their name on it," she said. "They donated that window."
Tom Johnson, a 30-year parishioner, said his family is attracted to the church because it's in a historic part of the city.
That's why this new building atop Nye's has him up in arms. He's afraid vibrations from construction will rattle foundation, and the new look will rattle the historic feel.
"The issue here, frankly, is larger than our Lady of Lourdes church," he said. "It's a neighborhood issue, it's a community issue, it should be a city issue."
Thursday night, the church will open its doors and take a very public approach, arming themselves with prayer and information.
The open prayer service then meeting will launch fundraising efforts to get engineers and attorneys involved.
But Barry Clegg, who's with the neighborhood association, insists the plan has positive implications for the church.
"It brings mixed use retail and residential, all of which are our goals," he said.
Clegg added that pylons will not be used, and vibrations should be minimal. But for some, it's just too close for comfort.
"I look at that window and I wonder: Would that window remain intact and the same?" Cosgrove said.
The meeting is at the church on Thursday night.
Construction of the building still has to go through more stages of approval before it's a done deal.