The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) had an almost two-hour discussion this morning on the fate of West Park Presbyterian Church, and it looks like the 135-year-old Romanesque Revival beauty is a goner.
The Commission discussed the New York Presbytery’s “hardship” application to demolish the church and replace it with a market-rate residential building. LPC Counsel Mark Silberman essentially said the Presbytery had made its case. Commissioner Angie Master, who has a real estate background, strongly agreed. And the limited questioning from other commissioners went nowhere.
LPC Chair Lisa Kersavage began the meeting by stating that the issue is neither the building’s historic value nor whether the non-profit Center for West Park, which formerly rented the church, had created a cultural center there. The issue was whether the Presbytery had exhausted its resources trying to maintain the building.
Silberman said that the Presbytery had sold buildings and put the money into repairs. It also had hired a real estate firm years ago in an unsuccessful search for a tenant. He noted that none of the scenarios the Presbytery submitted for renting the church made the 6% return required by the City’s hardship law. Commissioner Michael Goldblum noted that there could be many other scenarios. Silberman agreed but said the LPC was not obligated to look for them.
An independent engineer hired by LPC said the church exterior could be repaired for far less than the Presbytery claimed and that overall work could be phased. Commissioner Master said it would be difficult to find a tenant given the current interior condition.
The Commission also discussed a recent offer by the Center for West Park, which the church initially created to raise money for repairs. The Center offered to pay $60,000 a month for 10 years and assume responsibility for maintenance. Master said the current offer isn’t representative of the free market and that the Center lacked a track record.
Chair Kersavage said the reasonable next step is to draft a determination to share with the Commissioners. There were no objections. A vote could come at the August 18 meeting.
The Conservancy has never believed that the Presbytery made its case and fears that allowing West Park Presbyterian to be demolished would set a worrisome precedent.