Part of West Main closes next week for St. Ray's demolition
The 200 block of West Main Street will be closed to traffic next week for the demolition of what remains of the fire-ravaged St. Raphael Cathedral at 222 W. Main St.
Main will be closed Monday through Friday between South Henry and South Fairchild streets as Landgraf Construction Inc. puts up a mobile crane for use during the demolition work. One wall has already been taken down in work that started on July 14.
Closure of the street means that commuters and others who use the Dane County Parking Ramp will not be able to use the Main Street entrance. The ramp's entrances at South Fairchild Street and South Henry Street will both be open as usual, the Madison Traffic Engineering and Parking Division said.
The street is expected to be closed off for the entire week, the city said.
St. Raphael Cathedral, a highlight of the Madison skyline for 150 years, was set on fire by William Connell in March of 2005 and controversy over what to do with the remains on the building, gutted by fire but still standing, have been ongoing since then.
In recent weeks two court cases were filed by people seeking to halt the demolition, but both were rejected by the judges that heard them.
Bishop Robert Morlino of the Madison Diocese has announced plans to build a new cathedral, but the fundraising effort to raise the money necessary for that building was put on hold in April.
Meanwhile, Connell, the mentally troubled man who set the church on fire, has been sentenced to prison for 15 years.
