Man who helped in effort to designate Trinity Lutheran Church as historic landmark hopes it can be salvaged

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The man who helped get the church historical designation says he is saddened by what happened but he also hopes part of the church can be salvaged.

"I wonder if they can rebuild parts of it, bring it back. From what I could see with the fire, it doesn't look like it's pretty well burned, I'm hoping they could bring it back." Richard Stefanik helped in the effort to designate the church as a landmark.

Trinity was the first Lutheran congregation in Milwaukee to integrate African Americans in 1949.

The building was declared a Milwaukee landmark in 1967, a state historical landmark in 1979, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as well.