The Episcopal Church of the Annunciation was founded in 1895 at the crossroads of Cooper Avenue and 71st Street, but after 107 years of service to the community of Glendale, low attendance forced it to close its doors in 2002. (photo from Times Newsweekly)
Landmarking was applied for, but the city rejected the request. "Luxury condominiums" will soon replace what was a quaint little working-class neighborhood church.
And doesn't this look like the lap of luxury?This church was also in Dennis Gallagher's council district. Will St. Saviour's meet the same fate?
7 comments:
Houses of worship are being used as a Trojan horse to build intrusive structures within communities because of their status as religious buildings (who from the community wants to interfere with an internal 'religious' issue as a floundering church is usually depicted?). More often than not, the problems for these houses of worship or not caused by changing demographics (which is what they always say) - and even if they did, in former years this problem would be easily overcome when they would be sold to a different faith or denomination.
Most often, their plight deserves no sympathy from the wider community. Their problems are often self-inflicted. Religion is vibrant in this country and for a church to go under usually is because they have lost touch with the people, or refused to accept reality (20 people show up on a Sunday, and the minister insists on being employed full time. This means he is getting free health care, housing and a $60,000 salary as the building falls apart around him).
Now you may ask why they would do this.
It is no secret that many of the old time denominations, with large properties at highly prized locations within their communities, are looking at downsizing substantially - with their sales of property geared to maintaining salaries in their top-heavy bureaucracies – a group that can no longer be sustained as congregations vote with their feet.
Would invite you to look at a number of churches that are in the process of doing this – and considering that in almost every case, their property was deeded for religious purposes, their development for non-church purposes is probably illegal.
Once again, our friends in Manhattan had better take notice, for the techniques honed in Queens will be across the river within a decade.
DISGUSTING!
I highly doubt that Gallagher will support saving this historic church either, considering his sterling record of selling out St. Saviour's! What is it with him anyway? Does he so resent representing a working class constituency and prefer to have a "silk-stockings" council district? T-s-k ...t-s-k...t-s-k! For shame! I don't think that anyone will be seeing much support from Borough President Marshal regarding this matter either! Has everyone seen the ad in that special insert in this pastweek's Queens Tribune honoring the Beep for her 35 years of "service"? A full page ad placed by Mattone developers followed by 2 smaller ones from Heskel and Ciampa! I'm not really not "knocking" Helen the person. I've met her and she seems to be a warm and truly compassionate person and I also salute her as a caring and hard working soul! I'm always cautioned ,however, by that "little voice" in me that says (based on experience with some of our past Boro Prez's): "Why are such powerful developers thanking a borough president for years of service"? The full page one must have set back Mattone between between a $1,000 & $2,000! ...not that he can't afford it!
Not much of a back yard for the "kiddies" to play in. This won't put future buyers in a buying mood (if there are any at those prices). Maybe they'll be converted to rentals. There's already a record "glut" of unsold properties in our Metro area, according to real estate analysts, in the housing market and condos are being converted into rentals on a grand scale. So why can't we leave a small country church standing and find some new creative use for it? Leave some beauty in a neighborhood, if for nothing else, as a selling feature! Why does it have to be pulled down and replaced with an ugly serpent of trashy row houses? Answer: They're being built as future high priced tenements!
Every neighborhood landmark in Gallagher's district gets torn down. That's what happens when you become best friends with builders and their lobbyists and use vindictiveness against your constituents who stand in your way.
... and you do not have a city-wide preservation movement worth a bucket of warm spit and a Queens preservation leadership that is not up to the task and a hostile city-wide press and a Manhattan preservation leadership that is just, well, for Manhattan and ....
Good morning Mayor Bloomberg. Hope you're enjoying your coffee and Eggs Bennedict while you're reading these morning postings on "Queens Crap". When you are finally ready to go to "the can", please look down before you flush and see what Queens has to deal with, Your Honor!
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