Trinity Chapel, New York University

Holy Trinity Chapel of New York University was NYU's former Generoso Pope Catholic Center and Catholic chapel, located at 58 Washington Square South, West Village, Manhattan, New York. It was built 1961–1964 and was a prominent example of the Brutalist architectural style, executed in reinforced concrete and modernist stained glass. It was designed by the noted American architectural firm of Eggers & Higgins.^[3]

New York University Trinity Chapel
General information
Architectural style	Brutalist[1] or Modernist[2]
Town or city	New York, New York
Country	United States of America
Construction started	1961[3]
Completed	1964[2][3]
Demolished	2009
Client	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Technical details
Structural system	Reinforced concrete
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Eggers & Higgins[2][3]

The chapel occupied highly desirable land on Washington Square, and a decision was made to close the chapel and redirect Catholic Center services to a nearby parish, the Church of St. Joseph on Sixth Avenue at Washington Place.^[4][5] It was briefly rented to Washington Square Methodist Episcopal Church when that congregation left its 1860 church in 2004 and before the community joined with 2 others elsewhere as The Church of the Village.^[6]

The New York Times reported that it was sold in early 2009 for $25 million for redevelopment to the university. "The fate of the chapel has created little stir, perhaps because many residents aren't very fond of its looks. Built in the 1960s, the chapel incorporates elements of Brutalist architecture, known for its liberal use of concrete.... 'It’s not terribly pleasing to the eye,' said Brad Hoylman, chairman of Community Board 2, which includes Washington Square Park. He added, however, that there was at least some anxiety about what may replace it."^[1]

The AIA Guide to NYC (2010) described the chapel as "awkward Modernism from a time when the search for form preoccupied American architects."^[2] The building was demolished in 2009.^[7]

References

1. James Angelos. "For a Chapel on the Park, the Bell May Soon Toll", The New York Times, January 16, 2009.
2. White, Norval; Willensky, Elliot; Leadon, Fran (2010). AIA Guide to New York City (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-19538-386-7.
3. NYU Building Index. Accessed March 2, 2010.
4. J. Russiello, A Sympathetic Planning Hierarchy for Redundant Churches: A Comparison of Continued Use and Reuse in Denmark, England and the United States of America (MSc Conservation of Historic Buildings, University of Bath, 2008), p.351, 353.
5. Joseph Zwilling, Director of Communications, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. "Letters To The Editor; A Chapel Leaves; the Ministry Remains". The New York Times, February 1, 2009.
6. Albert Amateau, "Washington Square Church Is Sold" Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, The Villager, Vol. 75, No. 10, July 27, 2005.
7. "NYU wins variance for six story building on Wash. Sq.", CityLand, New York Law School, March 15, 2010.

40°43′48″N 73°59′53.1″W