120 East 12th Street; 110-124 East 12th Street | Block : 556-2 | Lot #48

Description & Building Alterations

In late 2005, NYU announced plans to build this 26-story mega-dorm on the site of St. Ann’s Church, which was demolished that same year. Sadly, all that remains of the beautiful church is a freestanding shell of the 1847 facade. The neighboring rectory of St. Ann’s Church was also demolished in 2005 to make way for this dorm. This building was a four-story row house that sat at 110 East 12th Street. 208 East 12th Street, which also previously stood on this lot, was home to Il Martello, the newspaper published by the famous Italian immigrant, anarchist, and anti-Fascist Carlo Tresca.

The church, whose architect is unknown, was built in 1847 as the Twelfth Street Baptist Church. The building housed Temple Emanu-El, founded by German Jews in 1845, from 1856 until 1868, followed by the St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church. At this time, the interior was gutted and redesigned in the French Gothic style by architect Napoleon LeBrun, and the new sanctuary was dedicated in 1871. In 1983, the church became St. Ann’s Armenian Catholic Cathedral. In 1985, the funeral mass for performer Jackie Curtis, a “superstar” in Andy Warhol films, was held at this location.