Dismantling Of Long-Condemned Church Under Way In Vernon

VERNON, CT — The dismantling of a long-condemned church building in Vernon on Route 30 began Friday morning and continued into the afternoon.

At 8 a.m., a crane began poking at the west side of the 8-story concrete -and-steel structure that is the former Sacred Heart Church and, shortly after, the first hole appeared in its walls.

By 11 a.m., after smashing, tugging and assorted other forms of roughhousing, the entire west panel was down. By noon, the crane began systematically severing the top of the structure. At 12:30, the exterior cross tumbled to the ground.

The scene quickly turned into a sporting event with cars filling the parking lot and stopping along Route 30. Spectators even arrived on foot to photograph and film the sequence.

A sequential photo essay of the process is attached.

Vernon police monitored the action with two drone units.

Work was finished for the day at about 3 p.m.

Vernon Economic Development Coordinator Shaun Gately said this week that the property, owned by the Catholic Discese of Norwich, has a prospective buyer, but the transaction is contingent partly upon the demolition of "the old condemned structures."

The diocese took over the property about a year ago after the merger of the Sacred Heart and St. Bernard parishes in Vernon. Sacred Heart had been using the adjacent former school facilities for weekend Masses, other church services and activities.

Wayne Gignac, the director of communications for the Norwich Diocese, said the diocese expects the project to be completely finished by the end of April.

The 7-acre property is on the market for $900,000.

The 13,717-square-foot former church building was ordered closed in 1997 because of structural problems and falling chunks of concrete. Repairs were deemed cost-prohibitive.

In recent years, it had been the target of trespassers and vandals, police said.

The local address of the property is 550 Hartford Turnpike.

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