INDIANAPOLIS -- Removed stained-glass windows. Missing pews and no altar anywhere in sight.

These are the conditions inside a century-old church that has been abandoned for over a decade. Despite efforts by church leaders to demolish Holy Cross Church while citing restoration costs, the historic church is set to remain in place for now on Indy's near east side.

On Wednesday night, the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission voted to block the demolition of the vacant Holy Cross Church. Church officials with the St. Phillip Neri Parish, meanwhile, called for the church to be demolished and for a developer to find new uses for the existing structures and land.

Wednesday's vote centered on St. Philip Neri's petition for a certificate of appropriateness, which would grant permission t

See Full Page