HomeMy WebLinkAboutSupplemental ReportSaint Jude Melkite Catholic Church Supplemental Report
Prepared by Megan Cross Schmitt, Preservation Officer
Planning & Zoning Department, City of Miami
January 14, 2016
According to Section 23-4(a) (7) and the opinion in Diocese of Newtown Melkite Church v. City of Miami,
the fact fmder is required to conduct a comparative analysis of St. Jude's historic and architectural
importance versus its religious significance. To designate a religious structure, the historical or
architectural significance must exceed its religious significance.
As previously discussed in the March 2013 Saint Jude Melkite Catholic Church Designation Report, the
site at 1501 Brickell Avenue has cultural and social value for many Miamians thanks to the site's association
with the work of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Assumption's Academy for girls, as well as their
involvement in Operation Peter Pan. Additionally, the church served as the site of many families' important
personal, religious milestones such as baptisms, confirmations and marriages.
The Preservation Office argues that this significance remains relevant to the current site despite the fact that
some associated buildings have since been demolished. Footnote eleven of the opinion in Diocese of
Newtown Melkite Church v. City of Miami states:
The evidence in the record actually (and strongly) suggests that it was the Academy, not its chapel,
which played a role in these [Operation Pedro Pan, the education of women by the Academy, and
the harboring of exiled Cuban Catholics] events. See Testimony of Ellen Uguccioni, Chair of the
Florida Historical Commission's National Register Review Board, Transcript of Public Hearing at
109 ("everything that has been said about this property that I've heard tonight has been the
association with the School of the Assumption" which has been demolished).
Regardless of the fact that the specific school building has been demolished, the existing chapel structure,
which remains largely unchanged from when it was constructed, provides enough context to allow the site
to still represent an embodiment of the social and cultural events that have been identified as significant to
the Miami community. The National Park Service, How to Apply the National Register Criteria for
Evaluation NATIONAL REGISTER BULLETIN states:
A property important for association with an event, historical pattern, or person(s) ideally might
retain some features of all seven aspects of integrity: location, design, setting, materials,
workmanship, feeling, and association. Integrity of design and workmanship, however, might not
be as important to the significance, and would not be relevant if the property were a site. A basic
integrity test for a property associated with an important event or person is whether a historical
contemporary would recognize the property as it exists today.'
When applying the suggested "basic integrity test" to the current Saint Jude Melkite Catholic Church site,
the Preservation Office believes that there is enough extant historic fabric to allow a "historical
contemporary to recognize the property as it exists today." Although the School of the Assumption building
has been demolished, sufficient context remains through the existence of the chapel, which would have
been the central core of the campus.
Despite having established that the church has personal and religious significance for many people in the
Miami area, the fact that it has been occupied by different religious traditions over the years highlights the
fact that religious significance is not the primary significance of the site. Rather, the most significant aspect
1 http://www.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb15/nrb15_8.htm#comparing
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of the building in question is its architectural value as a rare and outstanding example of Romanesque
architecture, designed by a prolific Catholic church architect. This architectural significance outweighs any
cultural, social or religious significance associated with the site.
The chapel that was originally built for the Sisters of Our Lady of the Assumption exhibits design elements
typical of the Romanesque style, including a cruciform plan consisting of:
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Narthex or Vestibule: a separated area in the church main entrance;
Nave: where the parishioners sit;
Crossing: where the nave, chancel and transept intersect;
Transept: the transverse arm of the cruciform church usually where secondary altars are
located;
Chancel or Sanctuary and Choir: where those who are assisting with the service sit;
Apse: usually domed, semicircular or polygonal termination where the altar is located;
Altar: place where the Eucharistic Sacrifice is offered;
Pulpit: podium from where the Gospel is read (on the left side);
Lectern: Stand where the Epistles are read (on the right side);
Ambulatory: walkway around the apse where in some churches small chapels are located; and
Sacristy: where the sacred vestments and liturgical vessels are stored.2
2 http://www.fisheaters.com/churchbuilding.html
ST. JUDE WELK[TE CATHOLIC CHURCH KEY PLAN
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The architectural characteristics of Romanesque churches are: stone tunnel or barrel vaulting of the nave;
groin vaults; small windows; semicircular or round arches over windows and entrances and between the
solid pillars or piers; cupola or dome projected over the crossing; portal or portico usually raised and
opposite from the altar giving the parishioners the full view of the altar when entering the church; sculptures
usually of saints on portals, capitals and other surfaces; imagery with biblical passages; harmonious
geometric proportions; simple exterior; solemn spaces; modest height; horizontal lines; multiple volumes;
and thick walls and piers.
Chapels were much simpler, commensurate to their function and size. Especially in France, where Our
Lady of the Assumption Congregation is from, monastery chapels were built as simply as possible, basically
consisting of a sturdy masonry building without towers or domes and little ornamentation; the cruciform
plan was based on a square module of the bay determining the width and length of the nave, as well as the
placement of the transept; the apse was usually square, thus, only the barrel vaulting along the nave (and
aisles) with modest height would give some curvilinear movement to the interior; the windows were arched
and usually small.
The significance of 1501 Brickell Avenue's architecture is only underscored by its architect. Henry D.
Dagit Jr. (1893-1981) was born in Philadelphia and received a Certificate in Building Construction from
Drexel Institute in 1913 and a Certificate of Proficiency in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania
in 1916. He worked with his father and brothers at Henry D. Dagit & Sons, one of the leading firms in
Catholic institutional design of its time.3 His buildings have been protected by local registers in the states
of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and have also been listed on the National Register. The notable
construction techniques representing the works of master ecclesiastical architects with key architectural
features of the church which embody architectural styles of the period, together with the work of Henry
Dagit Jr., make the architectural significance of the building outweigh any religious or historic significance.
In this case, the architectural significance alone is sufficient to make this building eligible for designation.
The following churches are listed on the local Miami Register of Historic Places and/or the National
Registers of Historic Places. They have been deemed historic even though most are currently, actively and
continuously used as houses of worship, because their historical and architectural significance exceeds the
religious significance:
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Trinity Episcopal Cathedral — 464 NE 16 ST — NR (1980)
Gesu Church and Rectory — 118 NE 2 ST Local (1982)
Plymouth Congregational Church — 3429 Devon Rd — NR (1972) & Local (1982)
Mt Zion Baptist Church — 301 NW 9 ST — NR (1988) & Local (1988)
Ebenezer Methodist Church (House of God of Nazarene Church) — 21042 NW 3 Ave —Local
(1988)
St. John's Baptist Church (New St. John Institutional Baptist Church) — 1328 NW 3 Ave —
NR (1992) & Local (1988)
Bryan Memorial Methodist Church — 3713 Main Hwy — Local (1997)
Central Baptist Church — 500 NE 1 Ave — NR (1989) & Local (1998)
First Presbyterian Church — 609 Brickell Ave — NR & Local (2003)
St. Agnes Episcopal Church — 1750 NW 3 Ave Local (2003)
Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church — 245 NW 8 ST — NR (1992) & Local (2004)
Christ Episcopal Church — 3481 Hibiscus ST — Local (2011)
First Church of Christ Scientist — 1836 Biscayne Blvd — Local (2015)
3 https://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar—display.cfm/23729
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Adaptive Reuse of Church Structures:
If a church is designated as historic, it does not mean that it must remain a church. Designated churches
across the country have been adaptively reused to allow the structure to serve a purpose different from the
one for which it was constructed. The following are examples from other cities:
Church of the Holy Communion and Buildings, New York, NY
This Gothic Revival church was designed by renowned architect Richard Upjohn in 1844. It was designated
in 1966, just one year after the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission was created, a
testament to the structure's significance. In the early 1970s the building stopped being used as a church.
In the early 1980s it became a popular nightclub called the Limelight. The building was listed on the
National Register in 1980.
Courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Limelight#/media/File:Avalon NYC 2007 006.jpg
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Central Avenue Methodist Church, Indianapolis, IN
This Romanesque Revival church was built in 1891 to the design of architects Williams & Otter. It ceased
being used as a church in 1999, and after years of falling into disrepair, the property underwent a $20 million
restoration. Today it is the home of Indiana Landmarks, a historic preservation advocacy organization. The
property is located within the Old Northside National Register Historic District.
Like St. Jude, the significance of these structures is based on their architectural integrity, not on their
religious associations, which is why they remain eligible for designation even after their original use
changes.
Courtesy of
http://www.bing.com/images/search?viedetailV2&ccid=G32Xefne&pccid=TmOieWt 1 &id=F630B 188E36DA6F6BB60F92142BF91 A2477E
4708&pmid=398ABO6FF07EAB960E51 C 1 B4A3DB923E991 CD95A&q=Central+Avenue+Methodist+Church%2c+Indianapolis%2c+IN&qpvt
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In recent years, the landscape of Brickell has changed faster than perhaps any other section of the city. In
this context, the protection of historic resources such as the structure at 1501 Brickell Avenue is that much
more important as a way to link Miami's present to its past. Though the social, cultural and religious
importance of this site has been established as credible, the structure's clear primary significance is its
architectural integrity. If the building had ceased to be used for active worship decades ago, the building
would still be eligible for designation due to its architectural significance. If the Operation Peter Pan
activities had not occurred at this site, the building would still be eligible for designation due to its
architectural significance. The building's architectural significance clearly outweighs its social, cultural or
religious significance. The architectural significance alone is sufficient to meet the criteria for designation.
It is my opinion as the Preservation Officer for the City of Miami that the architectural distinction of Saint
Jude Melkite Catholic Church is its primary significance, and it greatly outweighs any cultural, historical
or religious importance.
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