Editorial: Council politically profane

Toledo City Council's attempt to take over control of a Toledo Catholic church is an infringement on the church's property rights. And it's a costly enterprise with no good exit strategy. It's very clear that the Catholic Diocese of Toledo has demolition in mind for the former Sacred Heart Church in East Toledo. Read more Blade editorials Advertisement The Catholic population of East Toledo has dwindled to the point that there are not enough worshippers to sustain the maintenance of the building. It's beautiful, and it's old, but it's ultimately a useless structure if it's not a church. Furthermore, the Catholic diocese does not want its former church to be converted to some 'profane' use. Profane nowadays tends to mean crude and obscene. What it means to the church is something that is not sacred. The purpose of the church structure was to house sacred activities — masses, as well as weddings and baptisms. Any other use literally profanes a sacred space. Does the sacredness of Catholic space deserve no respect from Toledo City Council? Realistically there is no likely use of this building by anyone for decades into the future. Undeveloped, it will stand as a monument to failure on the high point that it occupies in East Toledo. Demolished, the building has multiple acres of ground that could be converted to new, modern multifamily housing with 50 or 60 units or 10 to 15 new single-family houses. If council is so enamored with Sacred Heart, the name of the development could be designated Sacred Heart Commons. Advertisement On top of that, council has no record of success with projects like this. There is still a giant empty church on Bancroft Street with a hole in the roof that a TARTA bus could fit in. What's council's plan for that abandoned eyesore? Council's most costly venture in saving obsolete Catholic churches is the former St. Anthony in the Junction neighborhood. After $4 million in appropriations, the building is still of questionable safety and has no realistic sustainable reuse. This edifice, surrounded by police tape, is an obstacle to development in Junction and not an incentive. On the agenda for the Toledo Plan Commission scheduled for Thursday is the proposed unasked for designation of 509 Oswald St. as an historic site. Without offering to pay a penny for this privilege, the ordinance effectively gives control of the property to the Toledo Historic Districts Commission. The diocese has said it will fight this taking of private property and there is a high possibility of victory for the diocese, but only after driving up the city of Toledo's legal expenses and distracting the city's law office on this uncalled for project. It should be rejected unanimously by the board of the Plan Commission and if then referred to council for a vote should be accompanied by a strong recommendation for defeat.