Episcopal cathedral sold Unnamed buyer to pay $1.275M for 38-year-old landmark (ECUSA)

kalamazoogazette ^ | April 30, 2007 | Tom Haroldson

[PAR35]

The Cathedral of Christ the King in Portage has been sold, members of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan were told Sunday.

But who has purchased the church for $1.275 million and what will be done with the familiar landmark building and its prime property remain unknown.

***

The cathedral was built in 1969 for $2 million. The diocese began thinking about a sale in 2004 because of tight finances and a dwindling church maintenance fund.

[dangus]

... if Vegas ever decides to go for a “Martian Chronicles” theme.

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

yeah ........ that.

[x_plus_one]

One word -—Why?

[Martin Tell]

It probably seemed like a good idea at the time (fueled by plenty of 60's acid).

There is nothing so dated as something that was once considered the wave of the future.

[AnAmericanMother]

There is nothing so dated as something that was once considered the wave of the future.

The chutzpah of these people who imagined that THEY knew better than a thousand years of church history. . . .

Why, indeed?

[Bainbridge]

Looks like a cement factory. Or something out of Nazi Germany death camps.
No intention to glorify God.

[AnAmericanMother]

It does like they have a full ring of REAL bells, though . . .

I hope somebody saves them, if they're any good.

Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers

[AnAmericanMother]

I just realized that this cathedral and my dear second dog both are from Portage!

They may have the world's ugliest cathedral, but they have some very pretty dogs there!

At eight weeks, looking so cute it ought to be illegal.

[PAR35]

They are selling the organ separately. I’d bet they’ll look for a good offer on the bells as well. Given the current market for scrap, they might just sell them to a recycler.

[KC Burke]

I have had sympathy for the architecturally deficient Roman Catholic brethren, but we now see that bad architecture spans the denominations and faiths. I have seen some Baptist buildings that would make great Country Western performance venues, some Apostles of God sanctuarys that would make a Jimmy Swaggart weak in the knees and now this thing.

I love to see a the great architectural attempt, I love Thorne Crown for example, but some of what has come along in the last fifty years are just obnoxious.

[PAR35]

We highjacked a thread into a discussion of ugly churches one night. That one won.

[AnAmericanMother]

Never mind, it's a carillon.

I went to the website and found out what that strange round structure is out front.

Some members of the parish gave the cathedral some bas-reliefs (done in a 30s style but thankfully not the Socialist Realism of Rockwell Kent) from an old store that was wrecked out in downtown Portage. So they built that strange incinerator-looking thing to display them.

That's "Commerce" and "Agriculture" - on the other side are "Industry" and "Art" - looking like nothing so much as a 1930s version of Achilles (although he's holding a caduceus so he ought to be Hermes) and Marianne (the symbol of France - although she's holding a little Nike so she ought to be Athena). But the Nike, not the wreath she's holding, ought to have the wings. The symbolism is a terrible mish-mash.

On the website they have some folderol about the bas-reliefs representing the church's duty to serve all diverse people, but that sounds like "somebody we don't want to offend gave us these and we have NO idea what to do with them, or say about it."

Clearly these folks don't plan well in any respect.

[PAR35]

Or perhaps one der Fuehrer would be proud of

You insult Hitler. He actually would have made a fairly good architect - and the world might have been better off if he had gone into that line. But he wanted to be an artist.

[KC Burke]

Not all newer attempts that are outside the box turn out to miss the mark. Take a look at Thorne Crown outside Eureka Springs in northwest Arkansas at http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2764753780015621458nmqFkl

[AnAmericanMother]

I have passed the word to our music director - our church needs a new organ.

The Aeolian-Skinners are out of fashion right now, if I recall what he told me in the music course he taught last semester . . . but I let him know anyway. Maybe we can get a deal.

[KC Burke]

More shots of Thorn Crown at http://www.webshots.com/search?media=photo&query=Thorne+Crown+Arkansas&queryChannel=&sortBy=&source=search_menu

[KC Burke]

more http://www.thorncrown.com/Photogallery1/index.html

[AnAmericanMother]

That actually looks backward to the old Stave Churches of Norway . . .

But it's got its insides showing.

[PAR35]

Come on, the French couldn’t even get the towers to match on the first of your good examples. At least the Germans can make them look the same: http://www.koelner-dom.de/

[AnAmericanMother]

Not always . . .

Close but no cigar (naturally it's the Bavarians).

My personal favorite for pure exuberance is Santiago de Compostela:

Daughter was there last summer and had a ball . . .