'9/11 Chapel' Latest Victim Of Steep Rent Hikes

BATTERY PARK CITY, NY — The Catholic church that served as a sanctuary for first responders in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks will close next year, the church told parishioners this month.

St. Joseph's Chapel in Downtown Manhattan will close in January after a steep rent hike. The chapel, located at 385 South End Ave. just blocks from Ground Zero, was a critical space for first responders working to rescue the wounded and, later, clear the rubble after the 2001 attacks.

The chapel sent a letter to parishioners last week informing them that St. Joseph's would close in January, a parishioner confirmed to Patch. Neither the archdiocese nor representatives of the chapel immediately responded to a request for comment from Patch.

Rumors have long circulated that the small chapel was slated for closure, after a rent increase in 2014 more than tripled the small church's rent.

In addition to the regular holy services celebrated at St. Joseph's, the chapel was also home to a 9/11 Catholic Memorial in recognition of the role the space played after the terror attacks. For months after the attacks, government agencies used the chapel as a supply station. Firefighters, police officers and other volunteers working to clear the rubble would rest and find food and supplies in the chapel, according to St. Joseph's website. The chapel officially reopened in September 2003 after repairs and reconstruction to its interior.

The 9/11 memorial will be moved to the nearby St. Peter's Church in Tribeca, NY1 reported.

St. Joseph's Chapel was formed in 1899 in the basement of St. Peter's Church before moving to its current location in 1983, according to the chapel's website.

Image credit: Ciara McCarthy / Patch