Battle to Save West Side Presbyterian Church Rages On; Boosters Plan Big Fundraiser

After almost 160 years of existence, providing a romanesque architectural escape from the stiff nearby buildings, faith is running low as there is talk of demolishing the historic West Side Presbyterian Church.

On November 16th and 17th, the screenwriter and director Kenneth Lonergan will stage a production of “This is Our Youth” with actor Matt Damon stepping into a starring roll in a bid to jump start efforts to save the historic church, which has stood on the corner of Amsterdam Ave. and W. 86th St. since the 1880s. Tickets will start at $500 on November 16 on opening night, drop to $250 on Nov. 17, but with some discounted tickets available both nights.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission, held a hearing in mid- June on whether to grant a hardship exemption that would clear the way for it to be sold to a developer for $33 million who would tear down the historic church, that is currently being leased to the not-for-profit arts group, Center for Park West.

The church is facing mounting costs and with a congregation that has dwindled to only a people, its leaders say they cannot afford the money needed to preserve the aging structure. Hearing the news, actor Matt Damon is the latest star come to the rescue.

Damon once lived in an apartment near the church. Lonergan told the NY Times that Damon “wanted to keep what’s special about the neighborhood special.” A Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) document granting landmark status initially called the church “one of the best examples of a Romanesque Revival style religious structure.” Hardship hearings to reverse landmark designations are rare. The hearing for West Side Presbyterian Church was held in mid-June but no decision has been handed down yet as preservationists, political figures and actors try to rally to save it by raising money–and lobby the LPC to see things their way.

The Center for Park West in the past offered to buy the structure for $3.5 million and keep it the way it is while offering to cut the church in for a slice of the profits if the Center ever sold off the air rights.

But the signs of a slow deterioration continue. The sidewalk scaffolding shed that currently surrounds the outside of the building was installed in the 2000’s due to the poor condition of the red sandstone façade. Years later, in 2017 the church could not afford to compensate the pastor and since then the church has had to resort to selling nearly all their assets and borrowing money from the Presbytery of New York for the building’s expenses and upkeep.

The Church had preservationists, structural engineers, and construction experts examine the building and they said it was estimated that the repairs to restore the building were at least $50 million.

Even if more work is done now, reducing the amount needed to be done in 10 years, that would not completely solve the problems said Donald Friedman, president of Old Structures Engineering in a NYC LPC public hearing on October 31st.

Ultimately, in 2020 the church decided to sell the building, thinking it best to go through with the demolition since the repair cost was too high and unrealistic for them to do themselves. They signed a binding contract with Alchemy Properties in 2022 to sell for $33 million, but the sale is contingent on gaining the right to demolish the building. Center for Park West, is attempting to avoid that fate.

In an October hearing with the LPC, it was stated that in 2018, the Center entered a five-year lease with the Church that expired on December 31st, 2022 and later decided to extend their lease which will expire in 2027. As long as the Center maintains the building, demolition can not occur until 2028, the group maintained.

This resulted in the church filing a lawsuit against the Center, since they had already signed a contract with a developer to sell the building.

The Center at West Park is behind the benefit performance on November 16th and 17th in an attempt to raise a minimum of $300,000 to repair the building’s most pressing immediate problems. Prominent figures like Mark Ruffalo, Wendell Pierce and Missy Yager the rapper Common will be performing at the benefit as will comedian Amy Schumer.

The Center at West Park previously attempted to buy the building, but according to most recent IRS records, the not for profit group does not have the money to take on such a large restoration project on its own. As of now, the center has managed to raise less than $20,000 out of a $250,000 fundraising goal.

“We created the Center in 2017 to celebrate the arts and fundraise for the building’s restoration, but the funds never came through despite more than a decade of promises and commitments from local leaders,” said Marsha Flowers, the ruling Elder of the West-Park Presbyterian Church and a founding board member of the Center at West Park, told the West Side Spirit.

A spokesperson for Council member Gale Brewer said she is in support of saving the building and avoiding demolition at all costs.

The church said Alchemy promised to give it space within its new residential condo plan and wanted to use a portion of the $33 million from Alchemy for outreach programs at other Presbyterian churches across the city to subsidize food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless outreach programs.

LPC has yet to indicate how it will rule on the church’s application for a hardship exemption that would clear the way for the sale to the developer.

“Our congregation is focused on creating a new space for worship and the arts, and we will use our proceeds to help other churches meet their mission and avoid circumstances like ours,” said Flowers.