Arch Street Methodist gets a safety net
Arch Street Methodist, which has become a lifeline for Center City’s unsheltered residents, doesn’t have the money to repair the steeple immediately.
While snow blanketed the region on Monday, workers in a high-reach lift dropped a protective net blanket over the steeple of the historic Arch Street Methodist Church on North Broad Street. The church made the decision to install the shroud around the soaring spire after discovering weak points in the structure during a routine inspection last year.
Designed by Addison Hutton and completed in 1870, the church spire is a landmark on the city skyline — an ecclesiastical counterpoint to the tower on City Hall. But Arch Street Methodist, which has become a lifeline for Center City’s unsheltered residents, doesn’t have the money to make the repairs immediately, said the Rev. Robin Hynicka, the church’s pastor.
The protective netting will keep passersby safe to give the church time to raise money necessary to make repairs. The spire is one of the most symbolic architectural features in Center City, he noted. “It pierces the conscience of the city, and reminds us that we have a bigger mission than commerce. We have a mission to work for everybody.”