Click here to donate to East Liberty Development Inc., which is responsible for funding the redevelopment and restoration of Sts. Peter and Paul.
Sts. Peter and Paul Church is located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh and was built in 1890 in the Gothic Revival style. The architect that designed the church is Adolphus Druiding, and John T. Comès was responsible for the reconstruction in 1910 after the inside was destroyed by a lightning strike that started a fire. Constructing the church today would cost about $3,426,426, and the reconstruction, $2,855,355. The church has been unused since 1997.
There is another building behind the church, used in 1902 as a two-year girls' school, teaching sewing, dressmaking, and fine arts. In 1922 it became a four-year high school and changed its name to Divine Providence Academy. Some students even lived there. The academy moved out, and Bishop's Latin School, a pre-seminary school for boys, moved in.
2022
February, July, November
Left: May 2021, Right: July 2022
All of my photos were taken from 2019-2022, and hopefully I’ll take many more in the coming years. Usually I shoot a building once or twice, but I keep coming back to this one because I fear that when I visit, it will be the last time. It was recently announced that this church will be turned into a “multi-purpose arts and entertainment venue”. Even though it will officially be saved, I can’t help but worry about the future. This church really means a lot to me, and I’ve even cried visiting because the thought of demolition made me so sad…
Here are some photos of me visiting.
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