Quote:

Architects, contractors, and estimators have been to the church. It's about money to restore the structure, and there seems to be a proactive effort to refurbish the church safely and economically.

It burnt down last year. they dont have the $$ for repair. They now practice services in the highschool down the road. The building next door is where the pastors offices are.

Does anyone know what the deal is with the burnt down church on mercer st between varick and monmouth? It is so creepy looking with the busted windows and the fire stuff hanging out. I see people using the part of the church next door - anyone know if there are any plans to fix this up? Anyone know when it burnt down?

PHOTOS: Fire guts historic church
by The Jersey Journal
Wednesday November 14, 2007, 12:04 PM

A fire gutted the historic Bethesda Baptist Church on Mercer Street in Downtown Jersey City, today's Jersey Journal reports.

Click Link below to see more photos

http://www.nj.com/hudsoncountynow/ind ... e_guts_historic_chur.html


Church members break into a song after saying a prayer.

[img]http://blog.nj.com/hudsoncountynow_impact/2007/11/large_zbeth4.jpg[/img
by Reena Rose Sibayan

Part of all the commotion today was also this // wild day downtown.

Gas main break forces evacuation, shuts down light rail

by Michaelangelo Conte
Tuesday November 13, 2007, 2:35 PM

About 300 people were evacuated from two residential buildings this afternoon and light rail service has been suspended in parts of Downtown Jersey City after a construction workers broke a gas main on Essex Street.

Residents of Liberty Towers and a nearby building were evacuated following the 1:40 p.m. gas main break and have since been allowed back in; service on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is suspended from Marin Boulevard to Exchange Place, officials at the scene said.


The four-inch main was struck by crews building a new sidewalk near Essex and Greene Street. Police officials say it should take about four hours to repair.

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Grovester,

As for the church fire it does read like arson from that caption -- but maybe it is just the wrong cation -- I'm sure we will find out.
Quote:

The news story doesn't say anything about the cause being suspicious, but the caption to the photo reads, "Both suspects are now in custody. It does not appear any students were ever in jeopardy."

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5759304#

Is that just a mistake?

Channel 7 has some pictures.

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Fire burns through church in Jersey City

WABC Eyewitness News

(Jersey City - WABC, November 13, 2007) - A three-alarm fire damaged the century-old Bethesda Baptist Church in Jersey City Tuesday afternoon.

Officials say the fire damaged the front doors and some of the inside of the church, located at 158 Mercer Street just after 1 p.m.

It appears to have started in the basement.

Firefighters extinguished the flames and are assessing the damage.

The church deacon and a secretary were inside at the time but were able to escape unharmed.

The church was built in 1894 and originally served the Scottish community.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5759304

I wonder if it will go condo now.....

Yes this is the church right behind Dixon Mills on Mercer

is that the church with it's back to Dixon Mills?

Three-Alarm Fire Roars In Jersey City Church

JERSEY CITY (CBS) ― CBS 2 HD has learned of a three-alarm fire in a church at 158 Mercer Street in Jersey City.

Fire Dispatch says the church is the Bethesda Baptist Church, located in a historic district.

The church, originally serving the Scottish community and later becoming a baptist church, was built in 1894, according to a representative from the Mayor's office.

Emergency Services director says it started in the basement, possibly electrical in nature. The church deacon and a secretary were inside at the time but were able to escape unharmed.

There were no reported injuries from the blaze. However, there was major damage inside the church.

Stay tuned to wcbstv.com for more.

There is a three alarm fire at 158 Mercer (church) AND a gas leak down near the Goldman Sachs building where the area is being evacuated. It's mayhem!

3rd Alarm fire 2.5 story church on mercer st

I just got back from the main Post Office in JC . There is a huge smoke cloud by Van Vorst Park


FIRE !!!!!


DTG

definitely something going on... there are two helicopters hovering over near grand st and jersey

Is there some sort of online firefighter or police scanner that works? I tried the police one back a while ago but it didn't work.

Anybody know what all those sirens and such are for?