St. Joseph’s Chapel, which served as one of the respite areas for recovery workers during the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and which houses a beautiful September 11th memorial, now faces closure as a result of a real estate deal that increased its rent from $7,000 to $23,000 per month, reports Sheila Anne Feeney in amNY.
The chapel, located at South End Avenue and Liberty Street, is currently surviving on borrowed funds. Its website currently states that “the trustees and the members of the Finance Council believe that this significant operating loss is not sustainable.”
St. Joseph’s is the only house of worship west of the West Side Highway and the only Battery Park City site linked to the attacks of September 11th. Its memorial is the only Catholic memorial to those killed in the attacks.
Jewish congregations without a home in Battery Park City use the chapel to celebrate their High Holy Days.
Father Jarlath Quinn, pastor of St. Peter’s Church, which operates the chapel, did not comment. The archdiocese and The Battery Park City Authority did not respond to emails.
