The New York herald., 1922-01-15
THEATER TO HOUSE
LUTHERAN PARISH
st. Luke's Society Building
New Edifice Near Its Orig
inal Home.

st. Luke's Lutheran Church, which for
forty-seven years has occupied its brick
and stone church edifice which, situated
in Forty-second street between Seventh
and Eighth avenues, has become a
landmark in the very heart of the the
ater district, is now to be housed in n
temple of the drama. The old church
building with its familiar front OF dull
colored reservoir rock" Is about 10 be
demolished In favor of four stores and
restaurant. which will find virtue in
nothing of the house of worship but its
two thick and solid brick side walls
while the new and ultra modern Selwyn
Theater which has lately sprung up rs
an architectural side partner of the
venerable Lutheran church. will open
its worldly doors to harbor the st. LulSe's
members and their pastor. the Rev. w
F. Koepchen. on all Sundays until neat
October, when st. Luke's hopes to have
it's own and new and imposing home
not many blocks away.
The present building has stood on thc
Forty-sccond street site for more than
half a century, for 1t was Presbyterian
churca years before the Lutheran church.
then small and. as now, temporarily
homeless parish, acquired the property
in 1875.
Founded in 1850.
st. Luke's itself was already twenty
five years old. for II was founded by the
Rev. William Greis in 1850. and by the
time 1t has entered its handsome and
modern home in West Forty-sixth streer
next autumn, will have just completed
its seventy-second year.
It's present pastor. the Rev. William
f. Koepchen, at his temporary residence
VT 431 West Forty-third street to-day.
spoke of the history of the church and
of the reasons for abandoning its pres
ent building.
1--WE are in many ways sorry to leave
cur home Of so many years." he said.
"but such building. constructed OF
even the best bricks and the best quality
of the old reservoir rock so much used
Ia those days, does not greatly improve
with age, nor compete successfully with
moro recent demands and conditions
and. moreover. the good old church and
ground that my predecessors bought for
$4,000 We have sold now for 100000.
exactly ten times the purchase figure.
$4,000 I'm Treasury.
Even with all our expenses in ad.
dition to the erection of completely
new modern and handsome edifice. with
our expenses and rentals for housing
quarters during the period of construc-
tion. with this money requirement fol
the present property we will be able tc
erect exactly the ideal church building
we want. and come through when it Il
completed with a reserve fund In oul
treasury of at least $4,000.
And as evidence of our affections fol
home traditions. we are moving back e
the exact neighborhood of tho first st
Lulxe's property. acquired from Mr.
Astor. We will not be on the same site
but in the same block. nearer Eight
avenue. about so feet from the corner
our new edif,ce will have frontage o.
90 feet. covering the sites numbered
30S, $40. s12, 316 and 31s. 1t will com
prise a church. and directly adjoining
a combined Parish house and parsonage
The two buildings will conform in archi
tccturai design and will be of a fine and
pure Gothic style. with the main con
.,truction OF finest quality limestone
The whole ediice will be twenty fee
back from the street 1t will be read,
In October