1. NYU Founders Hall Residence

When St. Anne’s Church opened in 1852, it was among the wealthiest congregations in the city. Over the past two centuries the evolving demographics of the neighborhood caused the church to experience a drop in membership. In 2003 the Archdiocese of New York announced that the church would be permanently closed. A developer bought the building in 2005, and plans were announced for a new dormitory for New York University to be built on the site. This announcement was met with public outcry, particularly from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.

However, without landmark status from the Landmarks Preservation Commission, St. Anne’s was demolished except for its front facade which remains attached to NYU’s Founders Hall Residence. The AIA Guide to New York City described the result of the project as a “futile exercise where no connection is made, or even attempted, between the old church and the 26-story hulk … the effect is of a majestic elk, shot and stuffed.”

Next, check out 12 of NYC’s Most Surprising Landmarks