The Old First Baptist Church

This beautiful old building, built in 1890, was last used as a church approximately thirteen years ago. 

Located at 59 S. Main Street in Gloversville, NY, the building has been structurally unsound and vacant since the church closed.  Theodore Perham, the last chairman of the church board remarked, “No one wants to see a beautiful building destroyed…but we could not afford it.”  They could not support the heating and insurance costs, he said.  “We were not even using the sanctuary when we left.  It cost too much to heat in the winter,” Perham said.

The church was deeded to the city, and officials explored the possibility of restoring the structure.  However, they abandoned that idea when it became clear the cost of restoring it would be far beyond what the city could afford or any potential grant could cover. 

With its deteriorating condition deemed hazardous, the city has considered demolishing the building since 2007.  Before the building could be razed, however, the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation had to give its approval.  State parks spokesman Dan Keefe said that there was so much water damage, roof failure and falling bricks that the building was deemed unsalvageable as well as dangerous.

A grant for about $434,000, awarded in 2008, will cover part of the cost of demolition, but the city will have to cover the rest of the estimated $700,000 cost.  Demolition of the building finally began with asbestos removal in December 2010.

Source:  www.leaderherald.com

This beautiful old building will soon be gone, but never forgotten.