Dome Comes Down, Concerns Arise at St. Gregory

After the dome was removed from the former St. Gregory church on Quail Street last month — against the city’s wishes — a few neighbors are concerned about the property.

Among them are the building’s safety and security.

One neighbor told Lakewood Patch that there are reports that the building “was open to the elements,” and the ceiling is unstable, creating a moldy situation.

The temporary cap, expected to replace the dome, sat in the driveway as recently as last week.

“There is also debris all over the property that is a great home for all kinds of pests, and the garage is about to fall down because the roof on that collapsed as well,” said the neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous. “I know kids from the neighborhood play out there, and somebody could get hurt.”

“I hate to see our neighborhood go into further decline because of this church.”

Officials at city hall are looking into the reports.

Dru Siley, the city’s director of building and housing, said that the city notified the building’s owner that a safety inspection is coming — as soon as this week.

“The church has a right to remove the dome as a religious icon as part of the church,” he said. “The main issue was altering the building in an inappropriate way. That is, they didn’t have a way to secure the building once the dome came off.”

The church is also slated to appear before the city’s architectural board of review this month.

The future of the property — and its next use — remains unclear.