The aesthetic appeal seems to depend heavily on one’s financial stake.
A developer has disrupted the neighborhood’s cherished church and community center to make way for an attractive condominium, yet many locals describe the result as “terrifying.”
“I was angry seeing this; it’s really frightening,” expressed Michael Marhas, a 66-year-old architect who focuses on historical restoration.
He highlighted the major flaw in the design: an awkwardly placed window above the church’s front door, calling it an “OCD trigger.”
The church’s original intricate details were not preserved, and some bricks and moldings fell into disrepair.
“You’d have to be a reckless architect to do this. It seems like only money matters here. This is incredibly cheap and simplistic,” he added.
Marhas went on to say that the architect responsible should seriously reconsider their license.
Even locals without architectural training weighed in, agreeing that the new condo is just plain unattractive. “It’s daunting; nobody likes it,” stated Maria Sulawaska, 38, alongside her partner, Keith Wilman, 44.
The couple had hoped that developers would maintain some of the beautiful buildings by MSGR. McGorick Park.
Instead, they believe the redesign turned out poorly. “They took a pleasing building and added the most talked-about quick fixes,” Wilman remarked. “It’s just distasteful… everything’s changed. It’s all about cranking out these generic structures.”
The model displayed while construction was ongoing featured red bricks, stained glass elements, and the original moldings—none of which made it into the final product.
“This is really a symbol of gentrification creeping into Greenpoint,” Sulawaska said, having lived there for eight years.
Matt Basso, who once considered purchasing a unit, scrapped his plans after seeing the actual outcomes. “This used to be my favorite building. It looked so nice before,” remarked Basso, 28, who works in property management.
The appearance of the building marks yet another frustration for the community that cherished the old church, which was sold for $4.7 million to Dutch influencer Sarah Rottenberg and Brooklyn’s GW Russell LLC.
A neighbor made efforts to save the church that hosted after-school activities and was known for being the first church in New York City to hold Drug Story Time.
Residents had even attempted to raise funds to ensure the church could stay as a community center but struggled against the developers’ financial might.
“My main issue is that it was one of those incredible venues serving numerous community purposes, and now all that’s being sacrificed to the highest bidder,” lamented a local.
While there is demand for housing, someone emphasized the importance of maintaining public spaces as well.
“People keep saying there’s a housing crisis in Brooklyn. But I doubt luxury apartments for a few affluent individuals will truly help keep Greenpoint’s home prices stable—way more effective than constructing a massive building on the waterfront with limited affordable housing options,” they noted.
Additionally, living in a repurposed church feels a bit off. “I don’t even have a religion, but living in a church? Just in case… you know?”
Representatives from GW Russell LLC did not respond to requests for comments; however, they mentioned previously that they aimed to preserve the building’s unique essence as much as possible.
“From the beginning, we committed to maintaining the distinct characteristics and significance of the building. We’ve kept the structure intact as much as we could,” said Noel Casari, project president.
The project is still awaiting window installations, exterior painting, and interior work, with the expectation of completion set for the end of summer.
