Craving a tale of faith, discrimination, and urban renewal? Then listen closely to the story of St. Sebastian Church in New York City. This former Roman Catholic parish church stood at 312 East 24th Street in Manhattan. It was under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.
St. Sebastian’s story began in 1915. Italian immigrants established the parish. They faced discrimination at the Church of the Epiphany. That church was just two blocks away on Second Avenue. Early masses were held in the basement of the Church of the Epiphany. They also used a rented hall at First Avenue and East 23rd Street.
Architect Nicholas Serracino completed plans for a new church in August 1916. The design featured a Gothic style. It was to be built of brick and seat 650 people. The building had a frontage of 48 feet and a depth of almost 99 feet. Franciscan Friars began staffing the parish in 1917.
In 1924, St. Sebastian’s expanded. They purchased three four-story buildings behind the church. These buildings were located at 319-323 East 23rd Street. Two years later, architects Salvati & Le Quornik were commissioned. They prepared plans for a four-story rectory and parish hall.
The Bellevue South Urban Renewal Area significantly impacted St. Sebastian’s. This area spanned from East 23rd to 30th streets between First and Second avenues. The New York City Planning Commission approved it in 1964. The Church of St. Sebastian was spared from demolition. The East Midtown Plaza master plan considered the church’s design. Davis, Brody & Associates selected brick colors for the adjacent buildings that would match the church. St. Sebastian’s became a focal point of the new midblock plaza. The addition of two cul-de-sacs on East 24th Street contributed to this design.
However, the story of St. Sebastian’s took a somber turn. In February 1971, Terence Cardinal Cooke announced the parish’s closure. The closure was set for March 31, 1971. The archdiocese stated that St. Sebastian’s was weakening nearby parishes. These included the Church of the Epiphany and others. Parishioners fought to prevent the closure. Their efforts were unsuccessful.
The church was demolished. A private developer purchased the property. Today, an apartment building stands on the site of the former St. Sebastian Church.