UPDATE: Monday, Jan. 8, 2024
On January 5, 2024, we withdrew our application before the Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) for a hardship, pending a resolution of unrelated litigation concerning the building’s tenant. Nevertheless, our congregation remains wholly committed to a future for the West Park Presbyterian Church that will be made possible by the sale of the property.
We have faith that the court will decide in the congregation’s favor as it evaluates the lease litigation, which will allow us to move forward in our efforts to invest in the modern, accessible worship and community space that the Upper West Side deserves and further support our mission in our community and in underserved neighborhoods across New York City.
We want to thank those who have spoken up in support of our congregation’s efforts to restore our church and renew our mission in service to our community. Our decision in 2022 to pursue the sale of our spiritual home for over 150 years, where our members made history as advocates for social justice and global peace, was not made lightly. After more than two decades of trying to keep up with repairs and waiting for unfulfilled promises of fundraising to come through, we are committed to exploring every option for our congregation’s future.
The West-Park Presbyterian Church’s congregation has been a proud member of the Upper West Side community for nearly 160 years. For decades, our church building has faced mounting repair costs, both inside and out. Today, a team of preservationists, structural engineers and construction experts estimates that it would cost nearly $50 million to repair and restore the building.
Facing an uncertain path forward after spending all of its resources to maintain the building, the West-Park Presbyterian Church’s leadership voted in 2020 to sell the property. The sale would provide the congregation with new resources that would allow it to thrive once again, and secure a new Church-owned space for worship, arts programs and community activities at the site that neighbors and partners will be able to safely access.
The plan would also create an endowment for the Presbytery of New York to support its mission and service including funds for:
- food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters across the city
- exploring adaptive reuse of underused church property, including for affordable housing
- helping churches comply with New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act (Green New Deal)
For press inquiries about the Future of West-Park, please email wppc@berlinrosen.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current deal?
The West-Park Presbyterian Church has agreed to sell its building at 165 W. 86th Street to an affiliate of Alchemy Properties, a highly-regarded developer that has done dozens of projects in New York City. Alchemy would construct a new building on the site.
The Church would retain a 10,000 square foot space in the new building for worship, arts programs and community activities, and receive cash proceeds from the sale that would support its mission-driven work. It would also create an endowment for the Presbytery of New York to support congregations and communities across New York City.
Who owns the building?
The building is owned by the West-Park Presbyterian Church, which has been nearly bankrupted by the cost of maintaining the building. The Church is part of the Presbytery of New York, which has extremely limited financial resources and relies on individual congregations to maintain their properties.
Why is the Church selling the building?
The Church cannot afford to maintain the deteriorating building. By 2017, the Church was no longer able to pay its pastor, and its current staff consists of one part-time office manager. It has expended all of its financial resources and sold most of its assets to pay for the building’s ongoing needs, and has had to borrow money from the Presbytery of New York to pay its operating expenses and address recent emergency repairs.
Are there any preconditions to the sale?
The sale is conditioned on the grant of a hardship exemption by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, which would allow for the demolition of the deteriorating building.
What happens if the Landmarks Preservation Commission refuses to grant a hardship?
The Church would sell the church in its current condition and with its landmark status, which would likely require the sidewalk shed to stay up around the church indefinitely. It would also leave the Church without funds or a place for worship, and would likely result in the congregation disbanding.
What will replace the Church building if the Landmarks Preservation Commission approves the plan? Will there be affordable housing?
If the Commission approves the hardship application and allows for demolition, the Church would sell the site to an affiliate of Alchemy Properties. The developer plans to erect a mixed-use building with residential and retail space, as well as a 10,000 square foot facility that the Church would own and use for worship, arts programs and community activities.
The building would be built as-of-right in context with the zoning already allowed. Existing zoning restrictions and recent changes in New York law would make it extremely difficult to include affordable units at the site. However, developing the site for market-rate housing maximizes the value of the property. The proceeds from the sale will help the Church get back on its feet, and support the Presbytery’s mission-oriented work across the City, including funds to explore adaptive reuse of underused church property, including for affordable housing.
Why did the Church decide that demolition was the best solution for the building?
The Church worked with preservationists, structural engineers and construction experts estimates that it would cost nearly $50 million to repair and restore the existing building. They studied various scenarios that would incorporate the building to varying degrees but found no financially feasible way to do so without adding prohibitive costs to the project.
Can the facade be saved?
The restoration of the eroded sandstone facade alone is estimated to cost nearly $18 million. The facade had deteriorated so badly that in the early 2000s a sidewalk shed had to be erected that still surrounds the building today. After thorough research of different restoration options, preservation experts concluded that there is no financially feasible solution that could restore or preserve the facade.
How is the building currently used?
In 2018, the Church signed a five-year lease with The Center at West Park, at a significantly reduced rental rate, to host its arts programming. The lease with The Center ends in December 2022.
The West Park congregation stopped using the building for any of its activities before the pandemic, and the Church had to be closed for safety reasons as recently as January 2022.
Can the Church sell the building to a nonprofit organization like The Center at West Park?
To date, no community group or other user has demonstrated the ability to take on the financial burden of renovating and maintaining the building, which would require nearly $50 million in repairs to be brought to good condition and fully address building and code issues. The repair costs would exceed the fair market value of the building after the repairs.
Read about the Church and its plan
in the Commercial Observer.