Repair of historic St. Louis church could take years, cost millions

Published: 2007-08-27

ST. LOUIS (CNS) -- Restoration efforts at St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Parish in St. Louis could take a year or more and cost several million dollars, according to Bob Ryan, director of the archdiocesan Office of Risk Management. "It might take a year to put it back together or more," Ryan told the St. Louis Review, archdiocesan newspaper. "We won't know until we get the bids to reconstruct it. It could go as high as $3 (million) to $4 million, but that is pure speculation at this point in time." The risk management office administers the archdiocese's self-insurance program for parish properties. St. Alphonsus is insured through the program, although the property is owned and administered by the Redemptorists. To help with the cost of restoration efforts, the archdiocese has pledged $100,000 from the Annual Catholic Appeal's parish emergency fund. Ryan said the main effort following the fire had been to secure the building and make it safe enough to bring in structural engineers to begin the formal evaluation of the property. The city of St. Louis has condemned the 140-year-old church building, which was struck by lightning as storms rolled through the area Aug. 16.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .