Upper West Side Church’s Future in Limbo

The Landmark Conservation Committee is set to decide the future of an aging church on the Upper West Side. This week, the owners are expected to file a lawsuit challenging the landmark designation that has been in place for 15 years.

West Park Presbyterian Church, situated at Amsterdam Avenue and West 86th Street, has a small congregation that is looking to demolish the 135-year-old structure. Their plan is to sell the site to developers for a new apartment building that would also feature modern art spaces.

The narratives surrounding these old churches often reflect lessons timelessly applicable to today’s community spaces. My own experience in Manhattan during the 1970s took place at another former Presbyterian church that had fallen into disrepair. Christ Church, located on West 36th Street, witnessed a decline similar to West Park’s, as its congregation dwindled.

The beautiful yet crumbling structure was previously saved by philanthropist Samuel Rubin, who invested significantly to transform it into a performing arts center. Unfortunately, West Park’s situation is far grimmer; it seems unlikely that another benefactor like Rubin will emerge, especially considering the lack of attention this plight has received over the years.

The LPC has done a commendable job preserving many significant buildings in the Upper West Side. Still, I believe it’s time to face the reality that West Park may not be salvageable. Protecting its landmark status might only result in it remaining a dilapidated structure surrounded by scaffolding.

Through the West Park Administrative Committee, the church aims to convince the LPC to retract its landmark designation, citing financial struggles. They plan to sell the property for $33.5 million to a reputable developer, Alchemy, who has plans for a new tower that would serve as a home for Calvary Baptist Church.

This move has drawn criticism from a small performing arts organization that previously operated in the church, as well as public figures such as Gale Brewer, the current city council member and former Manhattan Borough President. Actors like Mark Ruffalo and Matthew Broderick have also publicly supported maintaining the church’s landmark status.

Interestingly, some of the opposition seems to originate from board members of the arts group who live nearby, making one wonder about their motivations.

The struggle began in 2018 when the church signed a five-year lease with the Arts Center. Currently, the church is in dire need of revenue, far beyond what short-term rentals can provide, which led them to engage Alchemy in exploring their options for selling and developing the property.

Later that year, the church was informed that emergency repairs were necessary for the sanctuary’s south wall, but they lacked the funds to carry out this work.

By 2022, desperation led the church to request the LPC to revoke the landmark designation and to terminate the arts group’s lease upon its expiration. However, the arts group claimed it had a right to renew the lease, which sparked a dispute. The church appealed to the LPC, and although a lawsuit is ongoing, a state Supreme Court judge permitted the church to void the arts group’s lease earlier this year.

After this legal victory, the church once again reached out to the LPC to reconsider its designation. Meanwhile, the arts group relocated to another local church.

Roger Reef, head of West Park’s administration, stated that the church has been left vacant and in disrepair, surrounded by scaffolding for over a decade, and lacks the financial resources to maintain it.

Despite the church’s situation worsening, a recent visit revealed serious structural issues: uneven floors, unstable roofs, and weather-worn facades.

Debbie Hirschman, executive director of the Arts Center, claimed to have raised over $5 million for crucial repairs. However, Reef contested that this claim was never substantiated, pointing out that the group’s financial statements for the past year only show $121,000.

Neither Hirschman nor any other representatives from the arts group have commented regarding these financial claims.