08/26/2026
Cleveland Restoration Society mourns the loss of the historic Friendship Baptist Church on E. 55th Street, which burned to the ground in the early hours August 21, 2026.
Originally built in 1894 for the Tifereth Israel Jewish congregation, the massive structure was designed by Cleveland architects Lehman & Schmitt in the Romanesque Revival style. Tifereth Israel moved out of the synagogue in 1924; it was then purchased by Mount Zion Congregational Church in 1928 and, in 1940, by the Friendship Baptist congregation. During the pandemic, Friendship vacated this site and merged with Mt. Sinai Baptist, now named Mt. Sinai - Friendship United.
For over 132 years, this Cleveland Landmark has told the story of Jewish and African American heritage in the Central neighborhood. The loss suffered by our community extends beyond the current neighborhood and those who had direct ties to the church; it affects all Clevelanders because of what this site represents in the city’s history. Indeed, the tragedy of this fire has saddened good people across the region, many of whom have expressed a visceral response to the loss.
This once-magnificent structure was vacant and had been vandalized. “Urban explorers,” who brazenly entered the building without permission, documented the interior in video and photos for all to see the good, the bad and the ugly. These photos are now what we have to remember the site as it was in its last years.
Stewardship of aged, large religious buildings is challenging, even when occupied by large congregations providing strong financial support. But when a religious structure no longer has a large enough congregation, new thinking is important for the very survival of the historic site. Transitioning a sacred landmark to a new use under a new owner with wherewithal enables the site to survive. In order for this to happen, we need community support, ingenuity, and investment tools for older and historic buildings. Adaptive reuse is a reasonable solution and can result in exciting reinvestment and creative space. Landmarks can change and should change, so that they meet the needs of an evolving community. This approach still honors the heritage of the site. Unfortunately, the arson event at Friendship Baptist means that this building will not have that chance.
The note left on the cornerstone of the church says it all:
The death of this amazing church to fire has deeply affected this community – in ways we cannot fully convey. It is hoped that something far greater will rise from the ashes.
