PITTSBURGH (AP) — In a place and at a time when it's not unusual to see former churches transformed for new purposes, the former St. Helen Catholic Church in East Pittsburgh still looms large.
Founded in 1917 with a Slovak parish, built in 1929-1931, and closed in 2014, the the stone landmark was sold by the Diocese of Pittsburgh to new owners who have transformed it into a place for automobile buffs to congregate and store their prized cars: The Holy Grail Garage and Car Club.
The new owners moved out the pews and added two big garage doors so people can drive their high-end cars inside and park them in not only the sanctuary, but also the church basement. The former kitchen down there is slated to hold motorcycles.
There's a security and fire-prevention system, battery jump boxes and air compressors, even a separate washing/detailing garage.
The former church balcony holds a coffee lounge with a big-screen TV. The view from up there, beneath a huge stained glass window, is gorgeous.
"You can't get cheaper square footage, and you can't get more beautiful square footage," says Mike Fanto of Tower Auto Sales in Blawnox, who purchased the property with Kimberly Phillips in January for $50,000. They love old churches, and in fact own another, even bigger one in the West End — Holy Innocents in Sheraden. They're also car people and had the idea about five years ago of transforming a church into car storage, something they haven't seen done elsewhere.
"Every other kind of organization has a club house, a place they can go hang out," says Fanto, mentioning golf clubs to yacht clubs. "Car people don't." Storage options are limited to rented garages and warehouses. As Holy Grail's business plan evolved, vehicle storage became what he calls a "fringe benefit" of membership. As Phillips puts it, "It's going to be more of a social car club."
They've transformed the adjacent rectory into a gearhead's playhouse, with multiple flatscreens, a billiards table, a BYOB bar and wine cellar with ice machine, a cigar room, office, kitchen, full bath with a shower and a washer and dryer. One of the priest's former bedrooms is now a workout room with its own ensuite bathroom. Another is a poker room.
Potential customers already had been submitting applications for memberships to this "exclusive community," even before the new website went live last week with prices. Rates — paid in quarter, half and full year terms — range from $325 a month for a parking spot on the upper level to $250 a month for one on the lower level to $125 a month for a motorcycle.
The couple say they have room for about 20 cars on each of the two church floors, with room for members to come and go as they please. (And the structural engineer they hired assured them, this overbuilt edifice could hold even more military tanks.) But it might be the case that a car club chooses to take over an entire floor. So, as they start getting the word out that the place is ready to open, they're going to see who's interested. Says Fanto, "There's no rush to fill the space."
They've still got work to do, including in the shambles of a parking lot, and plan to eventually add a courtyard behind the former rectory. But the beauty of the church is intact, including the exquisite stained glass windows. As part of the desanctification of the church, some Latin was chiseled out over the front exterior and the altar was removed. Faces of saints up near the timbered ceiling were painted over. The couple replaced them with decals of classic gas station logos and have hung automobile flags from the columns.
They've repurposed many elements of the church, hanging the former front doors in the altar, minus their iron knockers, which they affixed to the front garage door. The gargoyles looking down from the bell tower don't seem to disapprove too much. The bar in the clubhouse is made from former pews.
For now, they plan to use the church space, which already has been rented to film a commercial, for events, including an open house for the public and one for the neighborhood. Neighbors have been mostly supportive of the transformation. And Western Pennsylvanians are getting used to churches being repurposed for new uses. In nearby Rankin, a family is turning the former Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into a wine bar and music venue called Mary's Vine.
About Holy Grail, one Facebook commenter quipped, "I always suspected some people worship their cars."
Mary Ellen Abramovich wrote on Facebook, "Love the improvements you have made!! I live two doors away & always cherished St. Helen's as a church, you have given it a new life!! So, Thank you!"
More than one person is thankful a new business is starting in the small (.5 square mile) borough, which doesn't have a lot of them. Those people include council vice president Mary Carol Kennedy, who notes, "The new owner has been very respectful of this property and has taken very good care of it. I am grateful for this purchase and the fact that what remains looks so beautiful and at the same time will preserve a piece of our history."
The garage is located at 905 Main St., East Pittsburgh, PA 15112; the website is theholygrailgarage.com and the phone is 412-204-6999.
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By BOB BATZ JR., Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Online:
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