Baltimore Prayer Garden OK'd Over Preservationist Objections

In Baltimore, Maryland, a housing department hearing officer has upheld the decision of Housing Commissioner Paul Graziano who decided that the Archdiocese of Baltimore can tear down a 100-year hotel building in order to build a prayer garden. WBAL-TV reports today that historic preservationists oppose demolition of the historic building located next to a remodeled church. However, they were unsuccessful in their argument that housing authorities should have made their decision without considering the impact of the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.