Yep - looks like shit. But here is the reality: Those older, ornate churches with their tall spires, dentate brickwork and massiveness are dinosaurs. Often times they're in city cores where white flight or aging populaces are the norm, church participation and attendance is down and they are no longer viable as churches. So they either get abandoned or repurposed. All of that old, ornate, lovely brickwork you appreciate is an absolute maintenance nightmare - tuck pointing on a structure that massive requires a huge capital improvements/O&M budget, and even when in good repair it is still a huge water-sucking surface that negatively impacts the underlying construction and interior environments. That's why you frequently see old brickwork being painted. Yes the marriage of modern vinyl siding to classic/gothic brick architecture is a match made in hell. But sealing off the exterior from intrusive water likely doubled the remaining life of the covered masonry. In return whoever redeveloped the building can possibly recoup whatever investment they made in rehabbing it. Because from the boarded up windows near the base, pretty sure it's use as a church is now in the tail lights. Been a trustee on two different church boards - one a decent sized older brick building. Even with a thriving congregation, maintenance costs on brick construction are sizeable. Add a mega-building to the mix, and it's a daunting task.