Holy Trinity Catholic Church and its rectory could soon be designated as local landmarks after action taken Thursday night by the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission.
The church and rectory also were unanimously recommended for an S-4 zoning overlay, which will likely be brought to the city's planning commission in May. That would protect the historic features of the church and rectory. Some of those include the rock-faced sandstone walls and porch skirting of the rectory, and the church's stained glass windows and copper-green glazed clay tile roof.
The proposal would also require approval of the Bloomington City Council if the planning commission advances the plan. It would require a supermajority vote of the city council because of opposition from the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, according to commission chair Greg Koos.
The diocese had considered closing the church, but recently backed off the proposal. The diocese had initially planned on merging Holy Trinity and St. Mary’s, then closing Holy Trinity. The diocese's plan still includes merging St. Patrick’s of Merna and St. Mary’s of Downs.
Holy Trinity would not be completely exempt from potential demolition down the road with an S-4 zoning overlay, but it would make the process run through the preservation commission first — a process that would become lengthier and include public hearings prior to any action.
Speaking at Thursday's meeting, Koos said it’s important to preserve the church and rectory.
“So what we have here, irregardless of the viewpoint of the bishop of Peoria, we have a treasure here — a cultural treasure — that transcends the private ownership issues of any corporate entity,” said Koos.
“Whether it’s a religious corporate entity or a commercial corporate entity, the public interest here is far greater than a private interest as expressed in the opposition to the S-4 nomination.”
“We as a community, broadly, need to see to it that this property is protected,” he added.
Koos, a historic preservationist, lauded the church and rectory for their art deco design. He also called the church “one of the most important buildings in McLean County.”
The church already is on the National Register of Historic Places.
