St. Boniface Church (Ivory Theatre), Carondelet: History, Reuse, and Preservation

Last updated Nov 13, 2025

The Enduring Edifice and Evolving Identity of St. Boniface: A St. Louis Preservation Narrative

The monumental brick structure at 7600 Ivory Avenue in the Carondelet neighborhood of South St. Louis, known sequentially as St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church, the Ivory Theater, and the site of the Carondelet Leadership Academy, provides a compelling case study in urban architectural endurance, adaptive reuse, and the volatile economics of historic preservation. Its history spans over 160 years, tracing the cultural, demographic, and economic shifts that have reshaped the city’s southern edges, transitioning from a spiritual anchor for German immigrants to a high-profile, modern cultural venue, and most recently, descending into a preservation emergency.

I. The Spiritual and Architectural Foundation of Carondelet (1860–2005)

A German Anchor in South St. Louis

The origin of the edifice lies in the mid-19th century, a time of rapid growth in St. Louis driven heavily by European immigration. St. Boniface Parish was formally founded in 1860, established primarily to serve the growing spiritual and cultural needs of German immigrants residing in the Carondelet area, often referred to in its earliest days as the “Low-German Church”.⁶¹ The longevity of the parish—145 years—underscores its critical function as a stable, generational touchstone for the working-class community that grew around it.²

The Early Parish and Construction Chronology (1860–1935)

The parish history, documented in the 1935 Jubilee Yearbook, confirms Carondelet’s pre-St. Louis origins, having been founded by the French in 1767. The St. Boniface Parish was officially approved by Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick in 1860.⁶ Before the current stone structure, the German-speaking congregation first gathered in a small frame church, SS. Mary and Joseph, with an associated frame schoolhouse being built soon after.⁶ The complex also included a dedicated school that was central to the parish’s life, primarily taught by Sisters. Financial records show the parish managed a substantial initial debt from the Archbishop, which was financed by the sale of “shares” (similar to non-interest bearing bonds) to parishioners, with a total value of over $5,000 used to fund the first school building.⁶

The construction of the present monumental building proceeded in distinct stages. The impressive structure visible today is categorized generally as a handsome, if simple, example of Romanesque Revival, a style often favored for working-class Catholic churches, giving it a strong, enduring visual character.⁶ The prominent twin towers were erected incrementally, with completion dates noted as 1868 and 1890, and exhibit more ornate elements reminiscent of Baroque Revival architecture.

The history of the bells is particularly evocative of the parish’s growth. The first bell was a simple “cow bell,” which was soon replaced by an old ship’s bell. In 1868, two proper church bells (St. Joseph and Holy Mary) were installed and dedicated. Following the completion of the second tower in 1890, a massive third bell (St. Boniface, weighing 5,600 pounds) was added. The entire set of three bells was ultimately recast in 1900 to ensure they were in tune and appropriate for the twin tower structure. The current bells—St. Boniface (3,919 lbs, note ‘C’), St. Joseph (1,948 lbs, note ‘E flat’), and St. Mary (1,016 lbs, note ‘A flat’)—are still in use today and are rung according to specific traditions for High Mass and the Angelus.⁶

The interior space underwent significant modernization over the decades. The original windows were “ordinary colored glass” set in large wooden frames before being replaced by “beautiful stained glass windows imported from Europe” and installed in June 1894.⁶ In 1935, the entrance was improved with the replacement of the original worn and hollowed wooden steps with new steps made of hard Bedford stone.⁶ Its architectural and civic value is formally recognized by its designation as the anchor of a Neighborhood Historic District listed on the National Register.¹

The Closure of the Parish and the End of the First Act

The St. Boniface parish held its final Mass on Sunday, June 26, 2005, marking the definitive closure of the institution.¹ This event was not isolated but indicative of broader regional and national demographic and economic trends forcing Catholic dioceses to consolidate parishes. Following the closure, the parish territory was merged into St. Stephen Protomartyr, reflecting the practical administrative necessity of rationalizing resources.²

The end of the building’s original 145-year life as a sacred space represented a pivotal moment in its preservation history. When a monumental structure loses its core institutional purpose, it immediately faces an existential threat. The building shifts from an operational church to a functionally obsolete liability, demanding immediate and creative structural intervention. The subsequent movement toward adaptive reuse—converting the sanctuary space for theater production—became a necessary architectural salvage operation, redefining the structure’s purpose to ensure its physical survival within the rapidly changing South St. Louis urban context.

II. Adaptive Reuse: Pete Rothschild and the Birth of the Ivory Theater (2005–2017)

The Developer’s Optimism and Vision

Immediately following the closure of St. Boniface in 2005, the property was acquired by developers, most prominently Pete Rothschild.³ Rothschild, a well-known St. Louis developer with a long history of successful rehabilitation projects in neighborhoods like Soulard and the Central West End, focused on turning the former church into a performance and theater space.⁴ The adaptive reuse transformation was completed rapidly, allowing the new venue, christened the Ivory Theater, to open in the fall of 2007.⁴

The investment in the St. Boniface structure was part of a broader vision for the revitalization of the Carondelet neighborhood. Rothschild’s commitment extended beyond the church to the surrounding properties, including the former rectory and parish school.⁴ He publicly expressed an acute sense of Carondelet’s potential, intuiting that the area was poised to become the city’s “next boom neighborhood” for rehabbers, developers, and the young professionals who typically follow such investment.⁴ This optimistic outlook was supported by significant capital projects already underway in the immediate area, such as the $40 million Loughborough Commons development and the $15 million Mississippi Bluffs townhouses.⁴ The conversion of the St. Boniface church into a legitimate arts venue was intended to serve as a catalyst for cultural and commercial renewal in the historic district.

Architectural Transformation and Conflict (The Injunction)

The conversion into the Ivory Theater necessitated significant modifications to the cavernous interior of the nave while intentionally retaining the defining architectural elements of the church. Photographs of the renovated interior show a successfully executed adaptive reuse strategy. Tiered, comfortable seating was installed across the main floor (the former nave), significantly enhancing sightlines typical of theater design, while preserving the grand, arched side walls and the decorative, barrel-vaulted ceiling . The stage and deep red curtains were installed at the eastern end, effectively replacing the high altar area and defining the performance space.

The new life of the building began with an immediate controversy. The New Line Theatre company christened the venue on September 27, 2007, with a preview performance of the show “Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll”.⁴ Hours before the curtain raised, the St. Louis Catholic Archdiocese attempted to obtain a court injunction to stop the performance.⁵ This action stemmed from specific contractual demands placed on the building upon its sale to Rothschild/Allen. The developers agreed that the property would not be used for activities such as abortions, human sterilization, massages, or, critically, performances “directed to an adult audience rather than the general public”.⁵

The conflict highlights the deep-seated ideological challenges unique to repurposing religious architecture. In this instance, the successful adaptive reuse, intended to preserve the physical structure, collided with the enduring desire of the original institutional owner to maintain moral control over the secular function of the property. The building was transformed from a site of sacred worship into a legal battleground, raising complex questions about the limits of contractual moral authority years after a property has entered the commercial real estate market. Ultimately, the theater company argued that its shows were open to the general public, and the injunction attempt failed.⁵

Operational Turmoil and Architectural Criticisms (2007–2010)

Despite the successful architectural conversion, the initial years of the Ivory Theater’s operation were quickly marred by internal conflicts and managerial disputes that were chronicled publicly on a blog called “The Ivory Theatre Horror Show”.⁶ Controversy centered on the venue’s general manager, Donna Perrino, who was accused by aggrieved theater companies of negligence, mismanagement, reneging on agreements, and failing to maintain the property.⁶

The conflict became public when Perrino departed her position around August 2010. Even after the change in leadership, operational and physical concerns persisted. The artistic director of New Line Theatre, Scott Miller, criticized the venue as a “terribly designed space, practically speaking,” alleging it had been quickly run down.⁶ Specific architectural complaints highlighted flaws in the conversion for performance use: raised electrical outlets on the stage that impeded choreography, a stage door that was reportedly so narrow that sets had to be built directly on stage, and severely inadequate cast/crew facilities, noting only one toilet was available for performers during intermission.⁶ Furthermore, the summer 2010 production of Cabaret became the subject of financial controversy, with cast and crew claiming they were never paid for their performances.⁶ The co-owner, Mike Allen of Red Brick Management, acknowledged the theater did not receive rental payment for the production, highlighting the financial strain facing the venue even after its optimistic opening.⁶

III. A Community in Print: Micro-History from the St. Boniface Diamond Jubilee Yearbook (1935)

The analysis of the vintage historical chronicle associated with St. Boniface confirms its publication for the 1935 Diamond Jubilee of the parish.⁶ The commercial advertisements and the narrative text provide a detailed, cohesive glimpse into the cultural and commercial fabric of the Carondelet neighborhood during its mid-20th-century zenith.

Dating the Primary Source Material

The dating of the program is confirmed by the 75th-anniversary header for the year 1935.⁶ This date aligns with the boundaries established by the listed commercial operations in the advertisements:

The Fendler Undertaking Co. provides a critical data point, operating at the 742-44 Lemay Ferry Road address between 1926 and 1946.⁹ The 1935 Jubilee date falls securely within this period.
The prominent display of J. H. Belz Provision Co. and its German-American industrial leadership role, active through at least 1923, links the program firmly to the local, German-immigrant foundation of the St. Boniface parish.⁸
The continued commercial presence is reinforced by the advertisement for Herman Furniture Co. at 7601 and 7605 Ivory Avenue ⁶, directly adjacent to the church/theater address at 7600 Ivory Avenue.

The Commercial and Cultural Ecosystem of Old Carondelet

The advertisements within the St. Boniface program reveal a tightly-knit, self-sufficient commercial ecosystem characteristic of historic working-class St. Louis neighborhoods. The businesses clustered directly around the church, such as Al J. Kraus (Groceries, Meats, Hardware) at 7736 Ivory Avenue, and Koenig Bros. Groceries and Meats at 7103 South Broadway ⁶, demonstrate a strong retail density serving the parish residents.

The nature of the businesses confirms the essential and localized needs of the community: comprehensive markets, essential services (A. J. Rieckus Plumber, L. Saufnauer Tuck Pointing), and services addressing the community’s life cycle (Southern Funeral Home, Fendler Undertaking Co., Hemmelmann-Spackler Real Estate offering mortgages).⁶ The preponderance of German surnames among the advertisers (Belz, Kraus, Meine, Tretter, Schnellmann) reinforces the deep cultural connection between the St. Boniface parish and the surrounding commercial district.

A Contrast in Cultural Programming

The 1935 yearbook contains a Program of Festivities that highlights the cultural contrast with the later life of the Ivory Theater. For the Jubilee, the community hosted an “Ole Tyme Minstrel” show featuring local members like A. J. Schillinger (Interlocutor) and Clem J. Niewoehner, with performances of songs like “Roll on Mississippi” and “The Sweetest Story Ever Told”. The children of the parish also performed a “Jubilee Entertainment” with a play and tableau.⁶

This traditional, community-focused programming stands in stark opposition to the 2007 debut of the Ivory Theater with the controversial modern revue “Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll”. The juxtaposition of the 1935 program and the 2007 opening highlights the radical cultural shift in the building’s function—from a site hosting a 1930s-era “ole tyme” community show to a modern venue facing a legal injunction for allegedly violating moral contracts with secular “adult audience” material.⁶

The following table synthesizes the key micro-historical data derived from the scanned program pages:

Table 1: Micro-Historical Analysis of St. Boniface Yearbook Advertisements (c. 1930–1945)

Business Name	Address / Location	Service/Product	Contextual Significance
J. H. Belz Provision Co.	N/A (Prominent brand)	Provision/Meat Packing	Represents major German-American industrial leadership in St. Louis.⁷
Fendler Undertaking Co.	7819 Michigan Ave / 742-44 Lemay Ferry Rd	Undertaking/Ambulance Service	Provides the narrowest publication dating window (1926–1946).⁹
Tucker Motor Co.	607 Gravios	Sales/Service (Oldsmobile)	Local automotive presence predating the Tucker Torpedo production controversy.¹⁰
Al J. Kraus	7736 Ivory Avenue	Groceries, Meats, Hardware	Direct evidence of retail density immediately adjacent to the church.
Risch’s 8-Mile House	Lemay Ferry Road	Restaurant/Inn	A historically referenced, long-standing hostelry in the greater Lemay area.¹¹
Herman Furniture Co.	7601 and 7605 Ivory Avenue	Furniture, Storage	Direct neighbor of the St. Boniface Church (7600 Ivory Avenue).⁶

IV. The Fading Light: From Educational Donation to Vacancy (Post-2017)

The Educational Interlude and Institutional Failure

Following its tenure as a highly successful commercial arts venue, the building entered its third life phase when it was renovated and then donated by developer Pete Rothschild to the Carondelet Leadership Academy (CLA). This donation was a significant act of civic philanthropy, transitioning the use from commercial theater back toward a community-serving, non-profit institutional mission.

However, the educational use of the building proved to be short-lived. The Carondelet Leadership Academy closed its doors relatively soon thereafter, with its operational charter officially ending on June 30, 2020.¹³ By the summer of 2020, the building, located at 7604 Michigan Avenue (the address associated with the CLA use), was vacant.¹⁴ As of April 2021, IFF, the holder of the property’s 1st mortgage, was publicly seeking options for a “transformative, impactful, and operationally sustainable reuse”.¹⁴

The rapid failure of the CLA, despite the successful adaptive reuse and donation by Rothschild, exposed a fundamental vulnerability. The developer’s initial optimism regarding Carondelet’s guaranteed “boom” neighborhood status and the philanthropic attempt to anchor the building with a non-profit institution were ultimately unable to withstand the complex financial and demographic headwinds facing the community. This failure underscores the reality that successful rehabilitation of a monumental structure does not inherently guarantee sustained stewardship.

The Preservation Crisis (2020–2024)

The vacancy following the CLA closure precipitated a swift and distressing decline for the historic structure, leading to its current status as a preservation emergency. Reports from 2024 confirm that the former St. Boniface/Ivory Theatre is now abandoned and experiencing serious issues with security and maintenance.³

The most severe consequence of the vacancy has been accelerated theft and vandalism. The building is reported to be “abandoned and being looted”.³ Specifically, thieves targeted the upper portions of the twin towers, stealing metal components, which further exposes the historic fabric to elemental damage.¹² Community reports from January 2024 detailed that the theft had intensified, and the interior had been severely damaged by squatting and looting.¹² Such material losses not only represent financial damage but also destroy irreplaceable elements of the building’s historic integrity.

By early 2024, some mitigating measures were reportedly taken by new owners, including boarding up windows and covering the lower doors with protective metal barriers, much like those used on other challenged historic structures in the city.¹² This security response, while basic, offers a critical measure of immediate protection against further incursions and signifies the potential beginning of a recovery process under new ownership, though the long-term plan for reuse remains uncertain.

The history of St. Boniface has thus cycled through four distinct periods of use and identity: Sacred Space, Commercial Arts Venue, Educational Facility, and Preservation Emergency.

Table 2: Chronology of the St. Boniface / Ivory Theater Building

Period	Function / Name	Key Events / Stakeholders	Significance
1860–2005	St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church	Founded for German immigrants; long-term parish life; Final Mass (June 2005).¹	Spiritual and cultural anchor for 145 years.
2005–~2017	The Ivory Theater	Acquired by Pete Rothschild; Converted for theater use; Opened Sept 2007; Site of legal and operational conflict.³	Exemplary adaptive reuse project; cultural revitalization attempt faces internal challenges.
~2017–2020	Carondelet Leadership Academy	Renovated, donated by Rothschild; Educational mission. CLA closed June 30, 2020.¹³	Short-lived, non-profit institutional anchor; rapid closure led to instability.
2020–Present (2024)	Vacant / Abandoned	Vacancy noted summer 2020; Accelerated looting, metal theft, and interior degradation; basic security installed (2024).¹²	Current preservation crisis; threat of irreversible structural loss.

V. Synthesis and Conclusion: Resilience, Recurrence, and the Road Ahead

The story of the St. Boniface/Ivory Theater is a microcosm of St. Louis’s historic urban core: a monumental testament to immigrant industry and faith, successfully salvaged and repurposed for contemporary cultural life, but ultimately defeated by the persistent challenge of finding viable, sustained institutional stewardship. The building itself exhibits remarkable architectural resilience, standing physically strong through two centuries of structural modifications and changes in purpose.

The successful adaptive reuse conversion into the Ivory Theater by Pete Rothschild demonstrated the powerful potential of applying historic tax credit economics and entrepreneurial vision to sacred spaces. However, the subsequent collapse of the educational institution and the immediate descent into vacancy and looting demonstrates a critical flaw in the long-term preservation model: successful physical rehabilitation is distinct from, and insufficient without, successful, sustained operational stewardship. When the operational anchor—whether a church, a theater company, or a school—fails, the building’s monumental scale becomes its biggest liability, creating an urgent security and maintenance vacuum. The operational failure of the Ivory Theater period, marked by management turmoil and architectural shortcomings that frustrated tenants, foreshadowed the instability to come.⁶

The historical primary source material—the 1935 Diamond Jubilee program—provides vital context, detailing a time when the community was financially and culturally self-sufficient, anchored by a cohesive German-American commercial ecosystem. The contrast between that historic density and the building’s current state of vulnerability highlights the profound fragmentation of the Carondelet neighborhood’s economic and social infrastructure over the last half-century.

The immediate imperative for the new owners is swift and comprehensive stabilization. Theft of architectural metal and internal degradation from squatting and weather damage accelerate exponentially once a building becomes compromised.¹² To safeguard this historically designated landmark and allow for a viable fourth act in its life, the new custodians must move aggressively beyond basic boarding to implement a comprehensive strategy that protects the remaining historic fabric from further material loss and elemental damage. The former St. Boniface church remains a potent symbol of Carondelet’s past and an indicator of the enduring, yet volatile, challenges facing urban preservation in St. Louis.