Hearing underway to decide fate of landmark Upper West Side church
A hearing is underway that will soon decide the fate of a 135-year-old landmark church on the Upper West Side.
West Park Presbyterian says the century-old stone church wrapped in scaffolding at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue is falling apart and wants permission to tear it down and rebuild, but preservationists and artists who use the space say losing it would be a blow to the community.
West Park Presbyterian asks for approval to tear down church
West Park Presbyterian Church has entered into a contract to sell the building to a developer, a deal worth close to $50 million, but before they can tear it down, they need approval from the city's Landmarks Commission, which they formally requested Tuesday at a public hearing.
"The church has occupied this building for 140 years," said Roger Leaf, chair of the West Park Presbyterian Church's Administrative Commission. "It has looked at every possible way of maintaining the building, which is virtually melting from exposure to the elements."
He said they want to demolish the church and construction a new building that would include a "10,000 square foot worship and community space."
But the new plan does not include space for Center at West Park, an arts group that used the church as a rehearsal and performance space for years until they were evicted this summer.
"We had all the money to do the work on the church"
Artists, playwrights, preservationists and even celebrities have been rallying for years to save the church.
"I think a real community has grown just around this fight," playwright Grace Cahill said.
"If we, in this moment, do not have spaces where art can thrive ... we are dead as a culture," playwright Eve Ensler said.
The group says it could pay substantial rent and help fund repairs to save the space.
"We will pay them $30,000 a month, and therefore their need for funds will be there," Center at West Park Executive Director Debby Hirshman said.
"We had the money to do all the work on the church," actor Mark Ruffalo said. "The congregation stopped it, and this idea that somehow they're victims here is insane."
"We've been in the building, thousands of us. No bricks fell on top of us. Plenty of money to fix the roof, to get rid of the scaffolding," New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer said.
It could still be weeks before the Landmarks Commission makes a final decision. More public meetings will be held in the meantime.
If the church wins its case, demolition could clear the way for new development as soon as next year. If it loses, West Park Presbyterian will have to find a way to keep the old building standing.