The Faded Glory of St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church

For far too long, cities across the United States have treated the rehabilitation of historic properties as an afterthought, a pursuit undertaken only when a neighborhood has reached a critical juncture, with precious few buildings remaining, or when the inexorable tide of gentrification has already set in motion. But what fate befalls those structures that lie beyond the purview of future restoration initiatives, left to the ravages of neglect, stripped of their essence, and destined to collapse under the weight of their own decrepitude?

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For far too long, cities across the United States have treated the rehabilitation of historic properties as an afterthought, a pursuit undertaken only when a neighborhood has reached a critical juncture, with precious few buildings remaining, or when the inexorable tide of gentrification has already set in motion. But what fate befalls those structures that lie beyond the purview of future restoration initiatives, left to the ravages of neglect, stripped of their essence, and destined to collapse under the weight of their own decrepitude?

In most cases, the rehabilitation or restoration of historic properties can be facilitated through local, state, and federal historic tax credits, rebates, and tax abatements, thereby increasing the likelihood of securing commercial financing for such endeavors. Rarely are there instances where a building cannot be repurposed unless the proposed use necessitates a significant increase in density, a departure from the original land use, or the presence of other mitigating factors?

Earlier in November 2012, my attention was drawn to the captivating St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church in Cleveland’s Union-Miles Park neighborhood, a structure constructed in the Byzantine Revival architectural style, with hints of Mission Revival or even Spanish Colonial Revival influences. Semi-circular fenestrations, a low-pitched clay tile roof, and interior walls finished with smooth plaster lent the edifice an air of timeless elegance. At the same time, two copper domes adorned the towers, adding to the church’s allure.

Though relatively stable, the surrounding neighborhood exhibited a gradual decline in property values and occupancy rates as one ventured westward towards East 93rd Street. Union-Miles Park traces its origins to Newburgh Township, founded in 1820 around a square known as Miles Park, developed by the Union-Miles Development Corporation. Once known as the Village of Newburgh, this area was eventually absorbed into the city of Cleveland, and its population steadily climbed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, bolstered by an influx of Slovenian immigrants.

The church, despite its state of neglect, served as the focal point for the Slovak community. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Roman Catholic Church attempted to convert Eastern Orthodox Christians in the Austro-Hungarian Empire but resisted. In response, the Byzantine Rite Catholic Church was founded, retaining much of the Eastern Orthodox traditions while acknowledging the leadership of the pope. Masses were conducted in Old Slavonic rather than traditional Catholic Latin, and the Julian calendar was observed instead of the Gregorian. Additionally, a three-bar cross was used instead of the Catholic cross, and clergymen were permitted to marry.

By the late 1800s, a significant Carpatho-Russian Orthodox population had migrated to Cleveland. However, the allowance for clergy to marry caused quite a stir among Roman Catholics, leading to a decree in 1907 that permitted only celibate priests to be admitted into the United States. Thousands of Byzantine Rite Catholics defected to the Russian Orthodox church, resulting in the majority of the city’s Russian Orthodox churches being constructed by former Byzantine Rite Catholics.

Musings for a church specific to the Rusyn population began in 1909, but it was not until 1912 that the first general meeting was held at Jelinka Hall on Aetna Road to organize a parish. A decision was made to purchase several lots for a church and school on June 16, and a contractor was soon hired. Within two months, the first church was completed for $3,000, and the first Divine Liturgy was offered in January 1913.

In 1924, married priests were again allowed to enter the United States, though married men could not be ordained as Byzantine Rite clergy. That same year, the nation enacted a national quota system for immigrants, impacting those from Eastern and Southern Europe. Between 1920 and 1938, only 7,500 Carpatho-Rusyns immigrated to the United States. However, by the 1930s, more than 30,000 Carpatho-Rusyns had settled in Cleveland.

After saving funds for a larger facility, a motion was passed on September 17, 1928, to construct a new church on the site. Designed by Polish-American architect Joseph E. Fronczak, a general contract was awarded for $60,000. The old church was renovated into a recreational hall.

Regrettably, little of the interior remains intact. The stained glass has been removed, as have most of the flooring and required supports. The plaster has delaminated from the brick in many places, ruining what were once intricate mural paintings, leaving the structure a mere shadow of its former grandeur.

In the fall of 1955, ground was broken for an ambitious $400,000 project that would provide St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church with an eight-room school and parish rectory while also facilitating the remodeling of the convent and the demolition of the original 1913 church edifice. The former parish rectory, a wood-framed structure, was relocated to an adjoining lot and expanded to serve as a convent for the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. On June 10, 1956, a cornerstone was installed, and by that fall, the school – the third for Byzantine Catholics – had been completed.

Furthering the expansion, a high school wing was added in August 1957, marking the first such facility constructed for Byzantine Catholics. Initially comprising four temporary classrooms within the recently completed school building, a formal high school wing soon followed in 1958.

However, the specter of suburban flight was beginning to loom on the horizon. In the fall of 1961, the new St. John Byzantine Central Catholic High School opened its doors in Parma, boasting 16 classrooms, laboratories, and workshops. Originally envisioned as an elementary school, this facility was erected at the Byzantine Catholic Center, which broke ground in May 1959 and welcomed its first students a year later for $500,000. Consequently, St. Joseph’s High School, with an enrollment of 124 students, was forced to shut its doors, and its classrooms were repurposed for elementary students.

By the 1970s, the neighborhood had begun a steady decline in population and demographic composition. The congregation dwindled, and the original Slovak community that had once called the area home was gradually replaced by African-American residents who lacked a connection to the parish’s cultural roots. With the Easter service in 1980, St. Joseph’s, by then reduced to a mere 100 active members, closed its doors for the final time in Cleveland. The building was sold to the Greater Zion Hill Baptist Church, a predominantly Black congregation, for $65,000. On April 13, members of both churches gathered for a joint service at 4 PM, marking the official transfer of the property to the Baptist congregation.

After Zion Baptist struggled to maintain the aging church building, it was sold to the House of Glory on November 1, 2002. Subsequently, the property was transferred via a quit claim deed to the Tiger Financial Corporation and ultimately sold to the Greater Tabernacle Church for $50,000 on July 14, 2010. In recent years, the flooring has been removed for scrap, and the property remains open and in a state of advanced deterioration, a mere vestige of its once-proud legacy.

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