I went to look at this Church the other day. I had never been inside and I wanted to see the Stained Glass up close.

Baptist Church LGD

There seemed to have been some work done on the interior but it had stopped.

Baptist Church LGD

While I was getting some shots one of the Church Officials came in and told me I had to leave because the Church was in danger of collapse.

Baptist Church LGD
Baptist Church LGD

It looks like the owners would rather demolish than repair this building, and it all comes down to one thing.

Baptist Church LGD

There were some great light fixtures that had been taken down, but other than that there seemed to have been no work done.

Baptist Church LGD

Karen Gadbois co-founded The Lens. She now covers New Orleans government issues and writes about land use. With television reporter Lee Zurik she exposed widespread misuse of city recovery funds and led...

55 replies on “2101 Prytania Church”

  1. wow. how can we stop this. they also own the double gallery next door (which they have allowed to fall into disrepair and tried to demolish several times)

  2. Well, they certainly won’t qualify for a public demo – at least they shouldn’t. A structure like this doesn’t become destabilized by high winds unless there was prior damage.

    If they can donate it to the city and take a tax write off, it can be repaired under the Stafford Act as a Library or something.

    Anyone have any Garden District contacts that can see what’s up? Is it on the demolition list? It will go under HDLC review. Surely they won’t approve the demo.

  6. The windows, interior millwork and curved pews are amazing. From the photos the building looks structurally sound, if a bit neglected. This building should be saved.

  7. Is this building owned by the Archdiocese or is it independently owned ? If it’s’ the ARCHNO it does not surprise me. They have no regard for historic buildings in New Orleans or for their parishoners. Look what happened to Cabrini.

  12. I don’t think that 2601 Prytania is the correct address for this church. The 2600 block of Prytania is between 3rd and 4th Streets. This church, I think, is below Jackson in the 1800 or 1900 block, I think.
    I completely agree; it’s much too lovely to tear down!

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  16. They own the house next door on Prytania and also behind on Josephine. This is attempted demolition by neglect. I would hate to see this happen and as a neighbor, planning on fighting this.

  17. This is sad. I have friends who once had a ministry in this church building for over 20 years. They sold the property to a Missionary Baptist Church in the 1980’s and moved to another state. I was in New Orleans in the summer of 2006 and took several photos of the building. It is sad if this building is slated for destruction.

  18. This is two blocks from my house…it is real eyesore to ALL of us in the neighborhood!! I actually was amazed at the inside. The inside damage, had to be from roof damage. It has been in dis-repair since before Katrina though.Keep up the GREAT work Karen !!

  19. Does anyone know how to contact Dr. Moses S. Gordon, Jr.? Perhaps he would be willing to negotiate. I think his brother [Rev. Crispus Gordon still lives in New Orleans]. I’m sure the City of NO tax Assessor’s office for the district can find someone to answer inquiries on the building. Who knows, they may be more than willing to let the building go to those who can care for it.

  20. This is strange because I actually know the family and could possibly find the owners but what good would that do. They now live in Hammond La.

  21. I was a member of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church for years and @SusanP182 the church was not in disrepair before Katrina as a mater of fact the interior was renovated before Katrina and the building was well maintained. The building is a great building but with the mass exodus of parishioners the church has been unable to raise the money to fully repair the church. I know the owners and they are doing there best to bring the church back. Destruction is the last option after all others are exhausted.

  22. Why not contact EXTREME Makeover…They did a Great job on First Emmanuel Baptist Church, Pastor Southall.

    Consider it…it is worth a try.

  24. Karen, I’m surfing real estate and both this church as well as others are for sale …this one with 5,000 sq. ft. residence listed as possible tear-down …..church over 20,000 sq. ft. Both are stated Katrina damaged ….church needing extensive restoration according to listing. Asking price thru Sotheby’s (Dorian Bennett) is $1,800,000. Also listed recently the infamous LaLaurie Mansion on Royal. Other listings currently include the Anne Rice House on First, apparently still not sold, Magnolia Harris Mansion, Mansion DeVille and Audubon Cottages, the House on Bayou Road, and in truth it seems as if at least half of Nola is for sale. I saw some houses on Apricot Street; they do not appear in these listings to have cat’s claw, nor do they appear to be either bayou or lake property (just sayen’ how they are listed!). What does appear to be selling are houses by architects Sulley and Gallier, amazingly enuf property on the Avenue seems to be moving. “The Painted Lady” pink house sold also.
    I was doing a little Xmas dreaming plus I have a cold so I needed a break from flickr. It was freezing here literally this morning; hard freeze across creek and highway ….35 right now.
    I found this when I did a google to find out what church this was in the Lower Garden District.

  25. Well, has anybody contacted Extreme Makeover? They did a great job with First Emmanuel BC by Dr. Southall. It would be a great loss to that area of town. Has anyone contacted Louise M School down the street…maybe they can use this property? What about a community place for the area? Maybe the councilperson can help.
    Did anyonr buy it…I could not find the info? Great pictures too!

  27. it is for sale i have many photos of it, am working as a buyers agent hoping to find a buuyer and help them purchase

  28. Are there any other photos? I used to live in a house next door to the church. It was the one on the right side of the church when you are looking at the church.

  31. This church was inspected by the proper authority and it was said that the main support structure was damaged and that it could not be repaired.So we put the building up for sale and if there is some one with enough money to repair it then they have our blessings to buy it.The building was over one hundred years old when it was purchased.

  34. I spoke with the realtor yesterday while still in NOLA. The parsonage home next door has a contract, if that home sells, any hope for the church selling would be cut in half. There is no parking on the church lot. The only slight section of yard is on the opposite side of the home. I wish I had a million dollars. It’s my dream photography studio/restaurant/home for our self employed family.

  36. Now……I have the realtor calling me back telling me the property is sold. I’m confused. I didn’t have ANY interest if the house was sold without the cathedral only the package and they had a contract with stipulations on the home. They weren’t going to sell it as individual unless they had a buyer for the church and the home or the package. They only have a buyer of the home which is SCARY…….no way to protect and save the church at that point. 🙁

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  43. Does it make any sense to follow the statement “the main support structure was damaged and that it could not be repaired” with the statement “if there is some one with enough money to repair it then they have our blessings to buy it”?

  46. Sadly now gone. As of last night a six alarm fire totally destroyed it and the blighted house owned by the church next door as well.

  49. This is sad. I was notified the the building burned last night by friends who had the church back in the 60’s, 70’s, and early 80’s. They had to do a lot of work on the structure when they bought it. They also owned the houses behind it, next to it including the bed and breakfast on both corners. They sold the property off along with Aurora Gardens Academy when they left New Orleans in the late 1980’s. That old church was so beautiful on the inside when they had it. I have got photos of it pre and post Katrina. It is a shame it couldn’t be saved.

  50. I had NOT QUIT calling about this property and had plans to come back down and throw a fit with realtors over it the last week of January. I was told over and over that the property was sold, only to find out last week that it was not sold. To make this entire situation even more strange for our family, my 16 month old daughter, whom has visited that property with us on 3 occasions in the last year, NEVER EVER cries or has trouble sleeping. I mean has NEVER EVER in her life stayed up past 9 pm, nor gotten up in the night by crying. She is NOT sick and has been her normal precious self. She began crying and whining around 9:15 last night and we tried to put her in bed. She laid there for a second and started screaming at the top of her lungs. She has NEVER done that either and we both totally ran to her side. She looked as if she had seen a ghost and was freaked out sitting up and screaming and crying so loud as if in pain! She stayed up from 9pm last night until she finally dozed a little between 4 and 6 am. She is back awake like normal and just fine now. She never had a fever or anything wrong last night other than wanted to be held tight by me or my husband and would scream if we put her back down alone. To wake up this morning to read this has me speechless with my hair standing on end. I even have portraits of her on the gates of this property in anticipation of it being our home and my portrait studio and gallery within it.

  51. Pingback: Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church: Another One Bites the Dust | nolagraphy.com

  52. Has anybody been paying attention to Felicity United Methodist Church? 1816 Chestnut St

    At my last visit in November, it was still vacant and for sale.

  53. Is the church being torn down right after it’s burned or are they at least investigating it’s fire? Are they at least trying to salvage any of the building’s remains? The front doors were still in tact after it burned. The house next doors exterior porch posts and decor was still in tact and un burned.

    I see in the image posted in this link that it is down farther than it was after it burned.
    http://nolagraphy.com/?p=183

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