In St. Paul’s Como neighborhood, St. Andrew’s Church could be demolished to make room for a three-story expansion of the popular German Immersion School next door. Or the imposing, 91-year-old former worship space could be preserved as-is due to a local historic designation that took a step closer to reality on Monday night.

“Clearly, it’s a significant historic building, at least in my mind,” said St. Paul Heritage Preservation Commission member Stuart MacDonald.

With dozens of audience members filling seats and crammed against walls, teachers, parents, students, neighbors and school board members argued their case during a nearly 3 1/2-hour public hearing before a panel of historic preservationists at St. Paul City Hall. A granddaughter of building architect Charles Hausler flew in from Florida to testify against demolition. Taking the opposite tack, Anthony Radecki, whose children attend the growing charter school, wore a poster affixed to his torso that said “vote kids not bricks.”

A granddaughter of architect Charles Hausler came from Florida to testify in favor of saving St. Andrew’s Church. Audience member feels just the opposite. pic.twitter.com/xWmAZ5Emyb — FredMelo, Reporter (@FrederickMelo) November 6, 2018

The Heritage Preservation Commission met to consider whether to designate St. Andrew’s a St. Paul Heritage Preservation site, as requested by a community coalition and supported by the city’s heritage preservation staff. Following 3 1/2 hours of public comments, the commission voted 8-1 in favor of the designation. Citing concerns about interior alterations to the structure and the integrity of the building, Commissioner Casie Radford was the sole “no” vote against the historic designation.

That’s step one of many. The decision over whether to institute a historic designation will also rest with the St. Paul Planning Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office and finally the St. Paul City Council, which are all likely to take up the question in the coming weeks.

A GROWING SCHOOL, A CHURCH WITH NO PARISH

St. Andrew’s dwindling Catholic parish stopped holding services at the church at the end of 2010. The German Immersion School bought the 1927-era Romanesque Revival-style building and the land and structures around it in 2013, spending $9 million or more to outfit it and construct a new school facility next door.

School officials said neither the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis nor the Ramsey County Historical Society had made much effort to preserve the structure in years past, and a historic designation would effectively force a secular charter school to spend tax dollars on maintaining the poorly insulated church building for the pleasure of a shrinking religious community. With classes spilling into hallways and students slipping on marble floors, they’re eager to see the K-8 charter school grow to accommodate the larger-than-anticipated student body.

State education funding “should be going toward making sure that we prepare our children to be informed citizens and leaders of tomorrow,” Samuel Walling, chair of the German Immersion School board, said in an interview. “It shouldn’t be used to make sure the terracotta tiles are in the same condition 30 years from now that they’re in today.”

Walling and board secretary Kelly Laudon were joined Monday by the opposition — Como neighbors intent on saving the church at 1031 W. Como Ave., as well as its elaborate bays, wings and bell tower, from the proverbial wrecking ball.

“Churches have been our most famous landmarks,” said Bob Roscoe, a member of the Save Historic St. Andrew’s coalition. “In a time of increasing urban change, churches give us a sense of pride and permanence.”

Fellow coalition member Roy Neal said the church once anchored both Hungarian and German festival nights, and a healthy school and historic building could co-exist. “We’re searching for a win-win solution here,” he said. “There’s no going back from demolition.”

Student: “My brother has gotten hurt in the gym. I’ve slipped and hurt myself. … it’s a beautiful building and I’ll be sad to lose it but it isn’t a significant landmark. It isn’t the James J. Hill House or Split Rock Lighthouse.” Several speakers called St. Andrew’s unsafe. pic.twitter.com/mcnj6MokYl — FredMelo, Reporter (@FrederickMelo) November 6, 2018

In their application, the Save Historic St. Andrew’s coalition pointed to the writings of architectural historian Larry Millett, who noted in the American Institute of Architects’ “Guide to the Architecture of the Twin Cities” that St. Andrew’s Church is “one of St. Paul’s best period revival churches” and hailed “the quality of design and its beautiful detailing.” The Romanesque Revival-style church draws some inspiration from northern Italy, southern France and the Byzantine period.

Walling and Laudon pointed to small-group discussions and special education instruction held in hallways, a cafeteria that doubles as a second gym, and student enrollment that has grown to exceed 580 students since the inaugural class in 2005. They noted a difficult search for alternative locations in or near the neighborhood, where some families have moved into the area so their kids can live within walking distance.