Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Entry on my blog

I've added more general photographs of the church, along with one historical image and several images from a quilting project by the adjacent community center.

 

For having been abandoned for nearly two decades, this magnificent red-bricked church still looms over western Cincinnati with an ever deteriorated presence. Organized on May 12, 1878 by the Franciscan Fathers, the church resided near the banks of the mighty Ohio River and frequently flooded. It was relocated slightly higher on the hill and was dedicated on May 5, 1889, designed in the Gothic Revival architectural style. It's commanding presence over the business district below was deliberate, and its spire tops out at 170 feet.

 

The church contained four bells in the tower and an organ that was given to the parish by Pope Leo XIII.

 

In 1891, a new parsonage was constructed immediately north of the church and a new three-story school was constructed. It closed in 1976, followed by the church in 1989 due to declining membership.

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help was soon stripped of its interior. It's once baby blue interior, decorative terra-cotta tiles, rich woodwork and massive stained glass have all been replaced by nearly two decades of neglect and short-sighted actions. The organ was forcefully removed for another church, and in its wake, part of the second floor landing was hastily removed to get the musical instrument out. Most of the tiles were removed in the process, and moisture and water infiltration led to most of the plasterwork and paint to flake and chip off completely. Broken stained glass lies on the floor.

 

_{An image of the church in the 1980s.}

 

_{A quilt made by the United Way of Sedamsville. I was granted permission to scan in those images and the image of the church from the 1980s. Much thanks to them!}

 

Nearly twenty years of negligence has led the absent owner to simply give up. It is rumored that the church will be demolished.

 

1 A photograph from January 2006.

 

2 One photograph from July 29, 2008.

 

3

 

4 The rear, taken on July 31.

 

5 Not yet broken...

 

6 Interior

 

7 Photographing it on August 23, 2008. We let the United Way Community Center have a peek inside by simply opening the front doors. They had not seen it since its closure in 1989 and were simply blown away at how deteriorated the church was on the inside.

 

8

 

9

 

I'll try to find more information on the impending church demolition and see what measures can be taken to halt its possible demise.

That is really sad.  My mom's family grew up in Sedamsville and went to this church.  I know she was very sad when they closed it.  At one time OLPH had a school with it, but I think that was torn down many years ago.

No, the school is still there. I don't know if it's used or what -- portions look active, but others are decidedly abandoned. It's a shame the church's building went downhill that fast :(

Yeah...I'm pretty sure this is going to be torn down in the not so distant future.

Wow...how unfortunate. With the pending demolition of the St. Martin's German Evangelical Church (1892) and more than a dozen other structures for a condo tower, Sedamsville will be losing much.

Where is St. Martin's at?

I'm out of the loop here.  Where is St. Martin's and what is the condo tower project?

I'm out of the loop here. Where is St. Martin's and what is the condo tower project?

 

http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2008/todays-news/condo-project-sedamsville.html

oh no. terrible news.

 

it's a great structure. the blue interior was very nice.

 

is there a rendering of the proposed condo?

Oh... THAT church. I knew the owner of that property who was working to restore the building, but the doors have been re-secured for quite a while.

I am surprised no one has at least rescued the stained glass windows yet, let alone the fact that they are still in tact!

I am surprised no one has at least rescued the stained glass windows yet, let alone the fact that they are still in tact!

 

I know.  I would love one  - or all of - those for my crib!

I feel *NIGHTCLUB!*

How sad :-(

What a sad story about a landmark neighborhood church. The figural windows were bought by individual families and donated to the church-the donating family name is usually at the bottom (as seen in one window the name "Schuermane") Sometimes the name of deceased relatives were also memorialized with donated windows as well. No doubt, the contributors of those windows would be appalled by what they would find today. VICTORIAN HOMES magazine recently showed a former church in Ventura, CA, remarkably similar to this one, that was converted into a popular bed and breakfast.  Surely some adaptive re-use as a community center, office, or public use could be found. If used for community or public purposes, often HUD community block grant funds can be obtained and used for the project.  Far too many historic churches are lost each year to neglect as congregations relocated to the suburbs and consolidation occurs. This is one they will surely wish they had saved once it's gone.

now where exactly is this church.  I'm really feeling the light fixtures.  I might have to do a "dumpster diving:  one tank trip"  lol  :mrgreen:

Sedamsville. You (really) can't miss it!

XUMelanie:

Here are some pics I took months ago.  The school is visble in one.

http://queencitysurvey.blogspot.com/2007/12/our-lady-of-perpetural-help-sedamsville.html

Ah ha! So now I know who the owner of the blog is :)

 

I referenced your blog in the entry. I'm hoping to make my way to the library to find more on it soon.

Seicer, I'm not into abandoned buildings like you are, but damn ... do I love the compositions!

 

Especially this one ...

 

http://www.abandonedonline.net/content/20080905/photos/full_3_2844.jpg

 

Okay, who is up for dinner and a walk around this place and the other properties that are slated for demolition in Sedamsville?

Okay, who is up for dinner and a walk around this place and the other properties that are slated for demolition in Sedamsville?

 

Can I order three stained glass windows?  If you kids are gonna be there anyway..

In the second picture, that light tan building - I lived on the second and third floor of the building attached to it on the right (you can't see it in the pic though). I went into that church with my friends when I was about 12. It looks exactly the same. Cool pics.

 

My aunt was on the neighborhood council. There was a woman who was president of the neighborhoood council who secured funds to rehab the OLOPH school but she stole the money. What a shame.

Okay, who is up for dinner and a walk around this place and the other properties that are slated for demolition in Sedamsville?

.. me toooooo ....  if you want  ..

I'll try to find more information on the impending church demolition and see what measures can be taken to halt its possible demise.

... perfect .. I like this ..

would ne nice if I can make some pictures like yours ..

 

This church needs to be saved!

 

 

 

This church is still standing!  I thought it was torn down already?  I went through Sedamsville yesterday to check it out and it was still there, seemingly in its entirety.  Unless of course Sedamsville has another church that looks similar to this one. 

I was mistaken; it was St. Martin's on River Road that was demolished.

oh ok. 

Sweet.

Has anyone heard anything more in regards to demo or reuse of this building as of late?    A friend of mine is interested in an abandoned church to reuse as something else and we have been discussing this particular church alot lately.

No, the owner is a land squatter and has refused to grant me an interview regarding his reuse of the building. It should be noted he owns the condemned apartment complex in the old school up the street -- which still houses drug-pushers/users and unsavories.

Does Klosterman own it?

It always breaks my heart to see old churches demolished, the architecture in them is amazing. I was very dissapointed when St. Bonaventure was torn down on Queen City abut 10 years ago. My grandmother used to play the organ there and it was massive and very beautiful.

^True that!  I think Klosterman does own it.  We are going to try and get a hold of him and see what his intentions are.

Please keep me informed.

 

BTW, 9,410 views for this thread????? Wow.

BTW, 9,410 views for this thread????? Wow.

 

Not surprising about the numbers, only demolition contractors and the City want to see this beautiful landmark church go away. Imagine what a church of this type (with new high-end stained glass windows) might cost to build today? Just think how many lives for over 100 years were intertwined with the history of this edifice? Marriages, baptisms, funerals, lives changed, personal and community disasters endured through member's strong faith-but now suddenly old, dilapidated, and worthless? Too bad the voices of those who helped build this great church can't come back and speak on its behalf-they would be ashamed.

 

I'm curious why a fund to stabilize and protect this important church building hasn't been set up? There's a kind of "Murphy's Law" rule in historic preservation that the more architecturally significant a structure is the more likely it is to end up in the hands of someone who could care less about it. Meeting with the owner is a first step towards saving the building. Once it is slated for demolition, it's all over. The clock is ticking...

I know I have looked this building up on the county auditors site before.  i believe the name was klosterman, and the assessed value was like $38k. 

 

when i get time, i will re-check.

This past spring the parsonage that sits behind the church was being offered for rent.I spoke to Mr klosterman several times about it. Ultimately the place was simply too big for my needs, so I moved on. Apparently he was raised in the parsonage(or at least lived for some time in it) and has ties to the church and the area. When Our Lady of Perpetual Help was newly constructed the pastor was one Joseph Klostermann. That can't just be coincidence. I'm pretty sure he would be open to anything that preserves the history and integrity of the church, thats just my opinion tho, I can't say for certain.

This past spring the parsonage that sits behind the church was being offered for rent.I spoke to Mr klosterman several times about it. Ultimately the place was simply too big for my needs, so I moved on. Apparently he was raised in the parsonage(or at least lived for some time in it) and has ties to the church and the area. When Our Lady of Perpetual Help was newly constructed the pastor was one Joseph Klostermann. That can't just be coincidence. I'm pretty sure he would be open to anything that preserves the history and integrity of the church, thats just my opinion tho, I can't say for certain.

 

 

Klosterman also owns the house right next to the church. The inside is stunning! Absolutely incredible. And huge!

Please keep me informed.

 

Copy that!   

Two churches, two similar stories

 

Posted an update about two churches in Cincinnati that have seen reprieves at the last minute: Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Sedamsville and First German Reformed in the West End. Thanks to OTR Adopt and the Cincinnati Preservation Association for their hard work!

Great news for both landmarks!

Tear that down and Sedamsville loses its landmark.  The church makes the place there.