Demolition order issued for historic Louisville church damaged by fire

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- City officials issued an emergency demolition order for parts of a historic downtown church damaged by fire and later declared abandoned.

An inspector visited the former St. Paul's German Evangelical Church on East Broadway just east of Interstate 65 on Monday, according to online Metro government records, and labeled the building "very unstable, open and unsafe."

Louisville's codes and regulations department has routinely made site visits since the fire last October and levied more than $4,700 in property maintenance fines against owner KY Medical Center Hotel LLC, records show.

Emily Martin, a codes department spokeswoman, said the ownership group has the "ultimate responsibility to secure the property."

"The building's current state continues to pose significant safety risks," she said in a statement. "After months of no action and ongoing trespassing incidents, we have posted an emergency demolition notice. We will take all necessary steps to demolish only the unsafe sections of the structure while making every effort to preserve the historic elements."

Martin said in an interview Thursday that those unsafe areas include the church's roof in the building's rear.

David Tandy, an attorney for the ownership group, said the scope of the privately-led demolition isn't yet known, including whether the church's façade will be torn down. The work will be done "soon," although he didn't have an exact date.

The building's owners did a structural analysis as part of the insurance process, Tandy said, but did not share it with Metro government and declined WDRB News' request for a copy.

Vacant church fire in downtown Louisville 10-9-24 — Louisville Fire crews at the scene of a 2-alarm fire at the vacant St. Paul's German Evangelical Church on East Broadway in downtown Louisville on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (WDRB photo)

WDRB asked for the city's own analysis in a public records request filed Thursday afternoon.

The church, an example of Gothic Revival architecture, was built in 1906 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

KY Medical Center Hotel LLC announced plans for the site in 2020: An $80 million, 11-story development with hotel rooms and extended stay apartments for workers at nearby hospitals and medical offices.

The project hasn't happened. Tandy said the owners still want to develop the site, but "what that's going to look like is being fleshed out."

Tandy also said the owners, which bought the property in 2021, have paid the outstanding fines.

City officials previously said the vacant building had become a homeless encampment. The Louisville Fire Department did not immediately respond to a question emailed Thursday about the status of the investigation.

This story may be updated.

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