Herman covers mid-20th century neighborhood changes and Grand Street Guild
Herman describes how urban renewal transformed the block around St. Mary's, the church's 1960s partnership with HUD to build affordable housing through the Grand Street Guild, and the resulting demapping of Ridge Street and creation of community space.
The block surrounding the church changed dramatically over the course of the mid-20th century as smaller tenements and mixed-use structures gave way to high-rise residential buildings during the era of urban renewal.
In the 1960s, St.
Mary's partnered with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish the Grand Street Guild, an organization dedicated to building affordable housing in the neighborhood.
One of these buildings was built just to the east of St.
Mary's, resulting in the demapping of Ridge Street and the creation of a pedestrian path and community space, pictured at the right.
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In its early history, the Church of St.
Mary was central to the lives of many of the earliest Catholics who came to New York from Ireland.
It continues to be an important community institution to more recent Catholic immigrants, including the many from Spanish-speaking communities who make up the parish today.