Our Saviours Church

Whispers of mergers and demolitions echo around Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church. This church, nestled in Washington Heights, has a story as layered as the city itself. Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church wasn’t always what you see before you. It began as two separate entities: the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Atonement. Both were mission churches of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Atonement Lutheran’s church, established in 1896, resided at 116 Edgecombe Avenue. Our Saviour’s Church, established in 1898, started at 525 West 179th Street. They merged before the current building was completed, becoming Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church. The first structure on this site, built between 1925 and 1926 for $30,000, was designed by architect Stoyan N. Karastoyanoff. It was later demolished. The congregation, led by Rev. Arthur E. Deitz, had ambitious plans for the area, anticipating growth with the subway expansion. They even envisioned a hospital. A parish house, designed by Mayers, Murray & Phillip, was completed in 1928 for $175,000. The 1929 stock market crash derailed their grand plans for a new Gothic Revival church. The congregation adapted, moving into the parish house, renamed Cornerstone Center. It became a multi-purpose space housing a video studio, performance areas, a kindergarten, a church for the deaf, and even facilities for the Reform Jewish congregation Beth Am, “The People’s Temple.” Today, Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church stands as a testament to adaptation and community. Its journey reflects the ever-changing landscape of New York City, a story of resilience and shared purpose.