St. Liborius Church and Buildings
{{short description|Historic church in Missouri, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name = St. Liborius Church and Buildings
| nrhp_type = hd
| nocat = yes
| designated_other1_name = St. Louis Landmark
| designated_other1_date = 1975
| designated_other1_abbr = STLL
| designated_other1_link = St. Louis Landmark
| designated_other1_color = #aaccff
| image = St. Liborius from N. Market.JPG
| caption = St. Liborius Church in 2012
| location = 1835 N. 18th St.
St. Louis, Missouri
| coordinates = {{coord|38|38|48|N|90|11|59|W|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = United States St. Louis#Missouri#USA
| area =
| built = 1889 (church)
1890 (rectory)
1905 (convent)
| architect = William Shickel
| architecture = Gothic Revival
| added = October 11, 1979
| mpsub =
| refnum = 79003637{{NRISref|2010a}}
}}
St. Liborius Church and Buildings is centered on the former Catholic parish of St. Liborius in the St. Louis Place neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it is listed as a City Landmark in St. Louis.
History
St. Liborius was established as a German national parish in 1856.{{cite web|url=http://archstl.org/archives/page/st-liborius-german|title=St. Liborius|publisher=Archdiocese of St. Louis|access-date=2014-10-10}}
The church building is a large Gothic Revival structure covered in red brick. It was designed by New York City architect William Shickel. At one time the central bell tower featured a stone tracery spire. It was removed in the 1960s.{{cite web |title=St. Liborius Church |url=http://www.builtstlouis.net/churches/church08.html |access-date=2014-10-10 |publisher=Built St. Louis}}
The church was completed in 1889. The rectory was built the following year and the convent was built in 1905. The School Sisters of Notre Dame taught in the parish school from 1859 to 1969. The parish buildings were declared a City Landmark in 1975 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.{{cite web|url=https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/city-landmarks/St-Liborius-Parish-Complex.cfm|title=St. Liborius Parish Complex - City Landmark #77|publisher=City of St. Louis|access-date=2014-10-10}} A decrease in the number of Catholics in the area led to a merger with neighboring parishes. It merged with Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Holy Name, and Holy Trinity. The church was closed in 1992 and many of the church's decorative furnishings were sold at an auction in 1993. The property was purchased by Hogan Street Partners LLC.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}
The church has been renovated into a private skate park, named "Sk8 Liborius."{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/sk8liborius/|title=Sk8 Liborius (@sk8liborius) • Instagram photos and videos|website=www.instagram.com|access-date=2016-12-15}} In 2016, it was visited by RasTerms and Depoe.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} In late 2016, it was featured on an episode of VICELAND's Abandoned.{{Cite web |title=St. Louis Schools |url=https://www.vicetv.com/en_us/video/St-Louis-Schools-1/57bddbb4968d67d83c237a7a |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=Viceland |language=en}}
The church building, rectory and skate park inside were destroyed by a fire on June 29, 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-03 |title=Leaders of Sk8 Liborius plan next steps after a devastating fire at the St. Louis skate park |url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/arts/2023-07-03/leaders-of-st-louis-skate-park-sk8-liborius-plan-next-steps-after-devastating-fire |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=STLPR |language=en}}{{Cite web |title='Devastated': 150-year-old St. Louis cathedral-turned-skate park destroyed in fire |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/06/30/st-louis-sk8-liborius-cathedral-fire/70372413007/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} A community effort is underway to rebuild the space.{{Cite web |last=Mast |first=Haley |date=2023-12-04 |title=Hope Spreads for the St. Louis Skate Community as They Look To Rebuild SK8 Liborius |url=https://www.skateboarding.com/trending-news/photo-book-inaugural-highlights-st-louiss-rich-culture-sk8-liborius |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=TransWorld SKATEboarding Magazine |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Liborius Church and Buildings}}
Category:Religious organizations established in 1856
Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1889
Category:Roman Catholic churches in St. Louis
Category:Landmarks of St. Louis
Category:German-American culture in St. Louis
Category:Former Roman Catholic church buildings in Missouri
Category:Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri
Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri
Category:National Register of Historic Places in St. Louis
Category:1856 establishments in Missouri
Category:19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States