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Carson City commission approves removal of steeple cross at Brewery Arts Center, conditioned on SHPO approval and storage
Summary
The Carson City Historic Resources Commission approved a request by the Brewery Arts Center to remove a non‑historic cross from the steeple of the former Saint Teresa of Avila church, subject to State Historic Preservation Office review and a requirement that the cross be stored for possible future reinstallation.
The Carson City Historic Resources Commission on March 5 approved the Brewery Arts Center’s request to remove the cross atop the steeple of the former Saint Teresa of Avila Church, now the Brewery Arts Performance Hall at 511 W. King St., conditioned on State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) approval and an appropriate storage plan for the cross.
Planning manager Heather Farris told the commission the building was constructed around 1870 in a Gothic Revival style and has been “significantly altered over time,” but that “the design of the steeple has remained intact.” Farris said the cross currently on the steeple is not the original historic cross and that staff does not consider the existing cross to be exterior trim governed by the design guidelines; staff therefore recommended approval of the removal as part of routine maintenance to restore steeple louvers.
Spike McGuire, representing the Brewery Arts Center, said the plan is to cap the steeple with a metal cap “that’s a similar material to the metal sheeting that is on the steeple currently,” and confirmed there is interior space in the louvered area where the cross could be stored temporarily.
Commissioners offered differing views on the cross’s significance. Commissioner Block said the cross is “a character defining element of this historic building” and that he “personally will not support removal.” Another commissioner disputed that the current cross is historic, saying it appears to be a modern replacement and lacks historic fabric. Several commissioners and staff noted the commission’s prior practice of allowing removal of reversible features if they are preserved in storage so they can be reinstalled later.
The commission voted to approve the application “subject to the conditions of approval listed in the staff report and based on the finding that the request is consistent with the design guidelines for historic district and the Secretary of Interior Standards,” and amended the motion to require that the cross be stored appropriately when removed and that SHPO approve the removal given the property’s historic covenants. The motion carried.
The staff report notes the building is not included in the Westside Historic District nomination and that the bell previously housed in the steeple was returned to the church in February 2001. Farris said paperwork requesting SHPO review had been submitted and was under review after a delay caused by an email-filtering issue.
The commission advised coordination between Brewery Arts Center construction staff and Historic Resources Commission members to minimize damage when removing the cross and performing louver maintenance. The commission also discussed options for storing the cross, including inside the steeple louvers or returning it to Saint Teresa’s Catholic Church.
No public commenters spoke on the item during the meeting. The commission’s approval was conditioned on the items and findings listed in the staff report, the cross’s appropriate storage, and the approval of SHPO.
