Flashback: What's missing from BTV's skyline?

St. Joseph's Co-Cathedral still rises prominently from Burlington's skyline, but the church is shorter than it was five years ago.

The cathedral lacks a steeple and an 800 pound wrought iron cross that were part of the original 1880s construction.

On Wednesday, Monsignor Peter Routhier said the steeple and cross were dismantled three or four years ago after they were damaged by a windstorm. Repair crews found that the steeple had rotted and the cross was at risk of toppling.

The lower parts of the steeple that still remain were also deteriorated and required $200,000 in renovations, he said. The steeple has not been returned to its full height because that pricetag rings in at $1,000,000.

"That's an exorbitant amount," Routhier said, "when we have a lot of other needs to take car of."

In the meantime, the cross sits in storage.

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Contact Emilie Stigliani at 802-660-1897 or estigliani@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EmilieStigliani.