INDIANAPOLIS — Boarded up and abandoned for nearly a decade, the Holy Cross Catholic Church isn’t coming down just yet.

On Wednesday, the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission voted to block its demolition, keeping the century-old landmark standing on the city’s near east side.

The property at 125 N. Oriental St. has been closed since 2015. Parish leaders at St. Philip Neri, which took over Holy Cross when the parishes merged, say the building is unsafe, too costly to repair and a drain on parish resources.

Church leaders say restoration is estimated at $7.5 million to $8.5 million, while the site is appraised at about $1 million. The parish also reported spending nearly $80,000 last year on maintenance, fencing and insurance, eating roughly 20% of its annual budget.

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