Above: The St. Luke’s tower and steeple. Photo by Robert Walsh
The HDC must sign off on the plan, which could include a copper – not stone – replacement
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is asking the town Historic District Commission for permission to demolish its distinctive steeple and rebuild something in its place. They presented a conceptual plan to the HDC last week, including three reconstruction options:
- Option A – Replacing the steeple “in kind,” i.e. with stone
- Option B – Rebuilding the steeple using copper
- Option C – Capping the tower and not replacing the steeple at all
The first step in the process for the HDC was to vote on whether the 103-year-old steeple was “a contributing structure and valuable to the town.” That was an easy yes for members, as the spire is a landmark from both land and sea. The panel also had to decide if the application was complete, which prompted more discussion…