City to fence and stabilize unstable church spire; contracts and detours planned

Mayor Michael Passaro told the council that engineers identified a collapse zone around the Second Congregational Church spire at the corner of Bridal and Hempstead and that the church owner has not addressed the hazard. “We were not able to be reassured by any of the engineers that have studied the situation,” he said, and the administration intends to move quickly to stabilize the structure.

Officials said the city will establish a construction fence and temporary traffic detours that will affect a major intersection; Director Reyes said the fence company will walk the site the next day and the city plans to contract engineers and masonry contractors immediately and bring estimated expenses and contracts to the next council meeting. Staff emphasized there are no residences or businesses that must be displaced but that traffic flow will be impacted.

Councilors asked about timeline, cost and access: engineers estimated 4–6 weeks to begin major stabilization work once mobilized and suggested a 1–2 month window for the initial mobilization and pinning operations, but precise cost estimates were not available at the meeting. Several councilors raised concerns about children who walk in the neighborhood and requested outreach to parents and schools; the mayor said detour maps and postings would be shared on the city website and Facebook and staff would personally contact nearby businesses.

Council action: The mayor authorized staff to enter into emergency contracts necessary to stabilize the spire and said contract and expense information would be reported at the next council meeting. No final appropriation was approved at this meeting.

Why it matters: The spire’s instability presents an immediate public-safety hazard at a busy intersection; city action aims to mitigate collapse risk, but the cost and timeline for full repair remain to be detailed.