After a bitter preservation battle, a St. Paul charter school will hold an open house for community members to honor the former St. Andrew’s Catholic Church on Sunday.

Located in St. Paul’s Como neighborhood, the decommissioned church building was acquired by the Twin Cities German Immersion public charter school in 2013.

After the preservation fight, the city of St. Paul gave the school a demolition permit this week and the 1927 structure is scheduled to be torn down around Aug. 5.

A new space will be built in the church’s place. The building will include classrooms, a gymnasium, cafeteria and instruction rooms. Construction will be completed by fall 2020.

The school is inviting neighbors, school families, former parishioners and community members to attend the Sunday open house from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at 1031 Como Ave.

The chair of the school’s board of directors, Julie Alkatout, explained the purpose of the community event.

“We want to provide the opportunity for closure,” Alkatout said in a statement. “Hopefully, this event will be the first of many in the community and at the school to heal divisions among our neighbors.”