The imposing facade whispers tales of grandeur. This is Saint Ann’s Church. Once a vibrant heart of the community it now stands as a poignant reminder of a bygone era.
Saint Ann’s Church wasn’t always on East 12th Street. Its story began in 1852. Bishop Hughes established the parish. He appointed Reverend John Murray Forbes as its first pastor. Father Forbes bought a building. It was the former Third Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. It stood on East 8th Street. The Georgian-style structure was impressive. It had been built much earlier on Murray Street. Rising property values prompted the Presbyterians to move the building. It found a new home on 8th Street.
Saint Ann’s flourished there until 1870. The congregation needed more space. A school was also planned. So Saint Ann’s purchased another building. This one was at 120 East 12th Street. It had served as Temple Emanu-El’s synagogue. Previously it was the Twelfth Street Baptist Church.
Architect Napoleon Le Brun transformed the structure. He created a stunning French Gothic style church. Only the original facade remained. The new Saint Ann’s was dedicated in 1871. It became one of the wealthiest congregations in the city. Stained-glass windows were added in the 1920s.
Time marched on. In 1983 Saint Ann’s Church had a new purpose. It became Saint Ann’s Armenian Rite Catholic Cathedral. It was one of three Manhattan churches offering traditional Latin masses. Sadly in 2003 the Archdiocese of New York announced its closure. Despite protests and petitions the church closed in 2004. It was demolished in 2005. A New York University dormitory now occupies the site. The facade remains a solitary testament to its glorious past. A majestic elk shot and stuffed as one architectural guide described it. A beautiful ghost of a church stands as a silent observer of the city’s changing skyline. Its story a reminder that even grand buildings can fall silent. They fade into memory. Yet their echoes linger.