Change to church approved

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD

DAINA KLIMANIS The York Dispatch

Thursday, August 18, 2005 - A York City review board yesterday gave preliminary approval with qualifications to a traditional Catholic church seeking to remove Jewish and Masonic symbols from its 99-year-old building.

A representative of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission went before the city's Historic Architectural Review Board seeking permission to change the 1906 domed building it bought last year at 129 S. Beaver St. With little discussion, review board members approved a request to cover a Star of David on the building's front with a bronze plaque and crucifix and a request to put a brass plaque bearing the church's name over its datestone.

Those requests will come before the city council for final approval.

Window debate: But the church's request to remove a portion of a stained glass window depicting the Masonic compass drew heated
debate. The board rejected the church's proposal to remove the middle of the window and use the glass to repair other windows, but members disagreed about the best way to preserve the window. All the church windows were original to the building when it was constructed as a synagogue.

Board member Joan Burgasser backed the board's guidelines, which prohibit altering or removing stained glass. But her proposal -- covering the entire window with opaque glass -- met a mixed reaction.

Board member Gary Geiselman said he thought it would be an "eyesore" and proposed instead removing the entire window and storing it at the county historical society.

"Forty percent of the time we don't follow the guidelines," Geiselman said.

Ultimately, the board agreed to allow the church to cover a portion of the window with an oval of opaque stained glass that may depict a Catholic symbol. The board will hold its vote until the church presents a detailed design.

Already missing windows: The church is looking for historic stained glass windows to replace three removed and sold by previous church owners, said church lay president Dr. David Drew. Geiselman and board vice chair Mark D. Shermeyer said they were willing to allow the church to replace the window depicting the symbol as well, since others were already missing.

But board member Mary Homsher said the building's windows were too significant for remove any.

The board also discussed preliminary designs for a free-standing sign in front of the church but said the plans needed to be modified to meet sign guidelines. Drew said he was willing to make the changes.

The sign would cover up a Protestant datestone the church covered with cement, without receiving approval, a move that drew criticism from two city council members earlier this month. Though the city council has given approval only for the church to cover the datestone with a plaque, the concrete remains.

Renovation efforts also put the church in conflict with the architectural review board in the past. At one point, the board ordered removal of vinyl siding the church had installed. The board also denied permission for the church to remove the damaged north tower at the site because the church did not have a timetable to restore it.

Building to reflect beliefs: Drew said the intent is to have the building front reflect the Catholic beliefs of its members.

Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission is not recognized as belonging to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, though Drew says church members recognize the Harrisburg bishop as their own.

Market Street resident Larry Homsher said he thought the board's proposal would allow the church to express itself and be an "incredible compromise."

But Leslie Webb, a historic preservationist who lives several doors from the church, said she worried that members were not thinking about the distant future, especially when they condoned window removal.

"We're just not going to have any left if we say, 'Well, one's gone ...'" Webb said.

-- Reach Daina Klimanis at 505-5439 or dklimanis@yorkdispatch.com

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