Historic Washington Heights Church Earns Landmark Status

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Washington Heights has a new landmark. On Tuesday, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously voted to designate the Holyrood Episcopal Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz at 715 West 179th Street.

The Holyrood Church, which means "Holy Crucifix" or "Holy Cross," was founded originally as a Protestant Episcopal congregation in 1893 by Rev. William Oliver Embury. The church was rebuilt between 1911 and 1916 at its Washington Heights location and has continued to serve the surrounding community for over a hundred years.

In 2012, in recognition of its role in the predominantly Spanish-speaking community, the church changed its historic name to add the translation, becoming Holyrood Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz.

“For over 125 years Holyrood Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz has been the heart and soul of Washington Heights,” said Father Barrios of Holyrood Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz, in a news release. “We believe that the beauty of being a landmark is defined not only by the beauty of its physical structure but also by its ability to allow the community to have access to enjoy this space as a zone of liberation to reaffirm and accompany them in their daily struggles."

The landmark status comes almost two months after the NYC Landmarks Commission held a public hearing for the proposed designation of the Upper Manhattan church.

“I am happy to hear that Holyrood Episcopal Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz is being designated by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC),” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, in a news release. “This building has been very important to our community and has contributed so much to our neighborhood both culturally and spiritually."

You can find out more about the Holyrood Episcopal Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz on its website.