CS Knowledge Base

St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church was a church located at 8363 and 8383 Townsend Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989,^[1] but was subsequently demolished.^[3] and removed from the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.^[2]

St. Thomas the Apostle Parish was a Polish-American Roman Catholic parish founded in 1914, at the eastern edge of the east side Polish neighborhoods of Detroit.^[3] A church was constructed in 1923, and the parish had both a grade school and a high school.^[3] The parish was one of the first to experience changes in population, as the original Polish residents began moving out in the mid-20th century. The parish was closed in 1989,^[3] and the church demolished in 1993.^[4]

The school currently serves as St. Thomas Assessment Center for troubled youths.^[5]

The parish complex at St. Thomas the Apostle comprised six buildings, including the church, rectory, school, and convent.^[6]

The church was essentially of Romanesque design, with some Art Deco aspects. It was built of brick laid over Dennison interlocking tile, sitting atop a limestone base. The building was trimmed with limestone and Tuscan glazed faience in various colors.^[6] The facade was a series of gable-roof blocks, roofed with Spanish tile. The primary entrance was through a central, side-gable block, sized to match the nave.^[6] The entrance was recessed into the center of a projecting porch and surrounded by columned arches. A massive Eucharistic relief was set high in the center of the facade.^[6] The church boasted a wealth of decorative art, including stained glass and bronze works.^[6]

The rectory was a large, two-story building with a dormer-attic.^[6]