Three days earlier Methodist CEO Michael Bryant rudely rebuffed pleas by the president of the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois to save and re-use the building. "He basically said 'bug off,' " council president David Bahlman said. "The hubris was something I've never seen before," Bahlman said of Bryant.

Bahlman said the building, created by Peoria architect B. L. Hulsebus who also designed Methodist's original building, was a "very important structure" and should have been preserved and reused.

At the meeting, Bryant refused to accept a free architectural drawing showing how the hospital could reuse the building as an entrance hall. He also refused to state what use the hospital has in mind for the space. (Parking lot? Another generic office building?)

As for the church members, their greed and hypocrisy is appalling. While pretending to be environmentalists, they destroyed a pristine site to build the new building, which went so far over budget they had to kick in extra money that would have restored the Hamilton building to first rate condition. What a waste!

Appropriately enough, they have hidden the new church behind a strip mall, in a low-end subdivision across from nursing homes that house the mentally ill.

Peoria is hopeless. It doesn't cherish its rich heritage and lets greed destroy it. Then the last liberal institution in town, the UU Church, pulls this stunt -- totally against what the national denomination stands for. Of course the UU congregation was infiltrated by staff members at Methodist, who manipulated them. So are they greedy hypocrites, or stupid or both? You be the judge.

WHAT OTHERS SAY:

Ronald K. Carpenter of Los Angeles, Calif. writes on Aug. 6:

"The voice of the people was not heard; "Vox Populi" stilled again by corporate greed.

"How awful it was to see the pictures of our beautiful church reduced to rubble. I'm almost ashamed to have been born at the Methodist Hospital, albeit some 76 years ago."