April 23, 2024
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Ottawa church rectory demolished

Church sought someone to move the home before it was taken down

By Shaw Local News Network

The rectory at Christ Episcopal Church in Ottawa was demolished Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. (Charles Stanley for Shaw Media)

The rectory at Christ Episcopal Church in Ottawa was demolished Tuesday morning.

The brick home was built in 1905 with a slate roof and stone coping, and the congregation added a cloister connecting the rectory to the church in 1915 that has since been detached and updated with new stucco in 2019.

The city of Ottawa and the church had been hoping to find someone to move the home located 113 E. Lafayette St.

The Christ Episcopal Church rectory at 113 E. Lafayette St. in Ottawa was demolished Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. (Michael Urbanec - murbanec@shawmedia.com)

It served as a home for pastors and their families but the last full-time pastor moved in February 2016, and the home has since had its integrity compromised because of financial constraints. The church suffered damage from a fire in 2016 and the rectory was used as a temporary place for worship. The steps and shaky railings made it difficult for elderly churchgoers and those with limited mobility.

The home needed a new roof and a new furnace and air conditioner. The windows were in need of repair or replacement, and the overhang above the porch has deteriorated. The paint on the building also was peeling.