Susan Holland, Historic Albany Foundation executive director, should be lauded, not vilified, for her effort to protect St. Joseph's Church from the fate of historic structures long abandoned by their respective dioceses: Demolition by neglect.
It was, indeed, the foundation's acquisition of St. Joseph's from the city and subsequent securing of it against the ravages of weather that has staved off the wrecking ball thus far.
The Capital Region does not enjoy a favorable record when it comes to valuing its architectural treasures, Trinity Church being the most recent example. The litany of important houses of worship that have been razed, documented by Diana Waite in "Architects In Albany," is a black mark on our stewardship.
At this writing, the future of St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet hangs in the balance. Surely, a viable, adaptive reuse for buildings that inform the identities of their neighborhoods trumps a parking lot any day.
CAROLINE B. MASON
Glenmont