The 150-foot steeple of the First Congregational church on Union Street in the heart of downtown collapsed in January 2024.
Work will start this week to turn the site of an iconic New London church that suffered a catastrophic collapse two years ago into rental housing.
The 150-foot steeple of the First Congregational church on Union Street in the heart of downtown collapsed in January 2024. The landmark building, dating from 1851, was subsequently demolished.
Six months after the collapse, Eastern Connecticut Housing Opportunities (ECHO) bought the site for $125,000. The nonprofit developer also acquired the debts of the former owners, Engaging Heaven Ministry, and committed to pay back the city’s $250,000 demolition and cleanup costs on the site.
ECHO warned at the time that it would take some time to assemble the finances to begin redevelopment.
Now ECHO says it will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday to begin construction of 46 rental housing units and two commercial spaces.
