Built 1835-37 Designated NYCL January 18, 1966 Area 3,642 m² Architect Minard Lafever | NRHP Reference # 72000884 Opened 1837 Added to NRHP 24 July 1972 | |
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Location 32 James Street
Manhattan, New York City Address James St, New York, NY 10038, USA Architectural style Greek Revival architecture Similar St James' Episcopal Church, First Shearith Israel Gra, Church of the Transfigu, Mariner's Temple, Sea and Land Church | ||
St. James' Roman Catholic Church is located at 32 James Street between St. James Place and Madison Street in the Two Bridges neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is the second oldest Roman Catholic building in the city, built in 1835-37 of fieldstone, with a pair of Doric columns flanking the entrance. While the neo-Classical church is modeled on the published designs by Minard Lefever, and is sometimes attributed to him, there is no hard evidence of this being true. The building was once topped by a domed cupola.
Alfred E. Smith served as an altar boy at this church when he was a student at its parochial school, the former St. James Elementary School, located across the street.
The church was ordered to be closed by New York City officials in 1983, because of the danger of its roof collapsing. It was scheduled to be torn down in 1986, but was saved by the efforts of the community, especially the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the first branch of which was organized in the church in 1836. The building suffered significant damage in a fire on January 11, 2011.