Group fi ghts to save Flatbush church
recently responded to that
request, saying that while
the issue warranted further
analysis to determine
the church’s cultural significance,
it remained a
low priority.
“The agency has reviewed
the church’s architectural
and historical qualities, and
has determined that more
study is needed to determine
its signifi cance,” said
Kate Lemos McHale. “Such a
study is not currently among
the agency’s citywide priorities.
Please understand that
in a city the size of New York,
with its many religious structures,
the Commission must
be very selective in choosing
examples of this building
type for consideration.”
The church, which was
fi rst constructed in 1898, is
currently owned by the Presbytery
of New York, but is
listed for sale as a development
site by Colliers International
real estate agency,
leaving neighbors to fear its
impending destruction by a
potential buyer.
A Respect Brooklyn member
blasted the Commission’s
reluctance to move with urgency
toward granting the
site landmark status, which
would prevent any future alteration
to the building’s exterior,
comparing the process
to a Carroll Gardens building
that was given protected status
mere weeks after it was
listed for sale.
“Such priorities sometimes
seem to be political
and not based on urgent need
and merit. Just look at the
record time the agency landmarked
Still Jewish Family owned
and Independently operated
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
They’re praying to save this
church.
A local group is pushing
the city to landmark a treasured
Flatbush church that
neighbors worry will soon be
sold and sacrifi ced for profi t.
Conservation group Respect
Brooklyn began the
process in December with an
offi cial request to the city’s
Landmark Preservation
Commission, urging them to
grant landmark status to the
Presbyterian Church at 494
E. 23rd St.
“It would be an incredible
shame to lose this architecturally
and historically signifi
cant building and church,
especially since other works
by the same notable architects
have been preserved in
other parts of NYC,” read the
petition. “This part of Brooklyn
remains woefully without
individual landmarks
and therefore valuable historic
resources in this area
such as this over century old
church are vulnerable to insensitive
alteration and even
demolition.”
An LPC representative
STILL SERVING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF BROOKLYN AT OUR NEW LOCATION
1700 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Our helpful and experienced staff remains the same
Our telephone number remains the same
718-338-1500
COURIER L 10 IFE, APRIL 19–25, 2019 M BR B G
the Hans S. Christian
Memorial Kindergarten
in Carroll Gardens,” said
Linda Allende. “Such swift
action in that instance, compared
with the LPC response
in this case, proves that
the LPC can act when they
want, regardless of the need
to study an issue. So what is
the difference?”
The Historic District
Council, a city-wide nonprofi
t advocacy organization,
joined the effort to landmark
the church, arguing that the
Commission should be particularly
sensitive to preservation
of religious structures.
“Houses of worship all over
the city are under assault, as
some congregations have become
obsolete. However, that
does not relegate these small
masterpieces to functional
obsolescence,” said Executive
Director Simeon Bankoff.
“Much can be done to adapt
religious structures for new
uses, and with the LPC’s oversight,
this task could be done
exceptionally well.”
Respect Brooklyn is
urging the public to support
the effort by signing
onto its petition, which currently
boasts more than 150
signatures, and by emailing
Borough President Eric
Adams and Councilman
Mathieu Eugene.
The group remains hopeful
that added public interest,
along with the recent acknowledgement
of the issue
by the Commission, will be
enough to secure protected
status to the beloved building,
said Respect Brooklyn
member Harry Bubbins.
FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE: A local group aims to preserve Flatbush
Presbyterian Church, at E. 23rd Street and Foster Avenue, from destruction.
Respect Brooklyn