Christ Church Steeples To Come Down
Four days after lightning struck the steeples at Christ Church, sending debris raining down to kill 61-year-old Richard Schwartz, word came that the weakened steeples would have to be torn down.
The New York Times reported that structural engineers and a private demolition team examined the bell tower and its four steeples and determined that they were not stable enough to remain in place.
The historic Christ Church had been undergoing repairs at the time of the accident. It was built in the mid-19th century in the Gothic Revival style, designed by Richard Upjohn. It was designated as a landmark in 1969.