Caption Indicted Mayor Eric Adams

Department of Transportation suggests transportation alternatives to avoid rigged bus cameras to disabled and elderly churchgoers

 

 Queens Chronicle

For months, members of Grace Episcopal Church in Jamaica have complained of being hit with traffic tickets when they drop off elderly people and those with limited mobility in front of the church on Jamaica Avenue, where the city’s Department of Transportation installed a busway in late 2021. Since then, parishioners have been working with area elected officials and the DOT to find a solution.

With tickets starting at $50 for parking in the busway and increasing up to $500 after several offenses, the cost has weighed on churchgoers. But part of the problem, says church vestry member Annette Manigault, was the lack of clarity on how the street and bus cameras ticketing drivers worked.

“We’re trying to make sure we can get the parishioners, especially our elderly or disabled, into the church, because no one was in knowledge of how the cameras are working, as well as the location being not accessible for cars coming down Jamaica Avenue,” she said.

She added that the nearest parking lots are several blocks away, making the need to drop off those with limited mobility all the more vital.

Under busway rules, no through traffic is allowed on Jamaica Avenue from Sutphin Boulevard to 168th Street, seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; cars on the avenue must make the first available turn off of it.

In a recent walk-through of the site, which was attended by Queens Commissioner Nicole Garcia, the DOT clarified to parishioners that the busway does not prevent cars from accessing a given block of Jamaica Avenue — it tickets drivers from continuing down it for more than a block. Therefore, there are several ways churchgoers can drop off their loved ones in front of the church without facing tickets, as detailed in a DOT pamphlet the agency said it handed out at the walk-through.

If traveling south on Parsons Boulevard, drivers can turn right onto Jamaica Avenue, stop in front of the church, then turn right onto 153rd Street. Drivers coming from the east on Archer Avenue can turn right onto Parsons Boulevard before turning left onto Jamaica and making their drop off, then continuing onto 153rd Street. From the west, drivers on Archer Avenue can turn left onto 153rd Street and then right onto Jamaica Avenue. After stopping, they can turn right onto Parsons Boulevard and then right onto Archer again. The latter does, however, require churchgoers to cross the street.

 

Episcopal Diocese plans to demolish historic Black church in Queens Village

Dear Friends,

Bishop Lawrence Provenzano of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island has a track record of closing Black churches while favoring the restoration of non-Black churches. Parishioners of historic and architecturally significant St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church (built 1894) located at 99-10 217th Lane Queens Village have sounded the alarm on his latest attempt to close their church. Enough is enough!

At a press conference in front of the church on June 7th, I was joined by concerned members of the community and preservationists, including Bishop Melvin Artis, pastor of 4 local churches, urban planner and historian Paul Graziano, Richard Hellenbrecht, Vice President of Queens Civic Congress and First Vice Chair of Community Board 13 and Maureen Grey, church historian and former member of the St. Joseph's congregation.

The Episcopal Diocese is trying to close St. Joseph’s using inconsistent arguments, saying that DOB violations are making it cheaper to demolish and build a new ‘financially viable’ building. However, violations have been cleared up and outstanding penalties amount to $1,000.

The complex, dating back to 1894, is in relatively good repair and has many historic details. The architectural pedigree of the church complex is incomparable, having been designed by some of the premier architects of the late 19th and early 20th centuries:

Parfitt Brothers – Considered the top architectural firm in Brooklyn in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hundreds of Parfitt designed buildings in Brooklyn Heights, Crown Heights North and Park Slope have been landmarked. Their firm designed the church. It is the only confirmed commission in Queens County by this firm and must be preserved.
Tuthill and Higgins – A renowned architectural firm from Jamaica. Designers of the St. Joseph’s Parsonage. Also designed the original Jamaica Hospital, Richmond Hill Branch of the Queens Public Library (one of the Carnegie Libraries) and an addition to the Reformed Church of Jamaica.
Hobart Upjohn – The grandson of Richard Upjohn (who designed Trinity Church in Manhattan). He was one of the most well-known architects for religious buildings, particularly for the Episcopal Church. He designed the parish hall.

Bishop Melvin Artis, who oversees 4 local churches, said, “I am appealing to every clergy member in the southeast Queens area: Let’s get behind the people of this church and make sure that this history remains intact.”

Urban planner and historian Paul Graziano pointed out that the Episcopal Diocese does not do this to churches in wealthier, majority white neighborhoods. “Would you see this happen in Garden City at the seat of power of the Episcopal Diocese? No. Do you see this happening in wealthy congregations in white neighborhoods? Definitely not. So, there is definitely something through the prism of ethnicity and race which is very disturbing to me because looking at how the Episcopal Church has described themselves that doesn’t really match.”

As a result of this deeply concerning situation, I have taken the step of submitting a Request for Evaluation (RFE) to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Designation of the complex as an official NYC landmark would permanently protect the house of worship from demolition.

Please see photos of church, video of press conference and RFE application here. I'll keep the community up to date on my progress.

Yours truly,

Rene Hill
Candidate for City Council
District 27

Supreme Court rules against Cuomo

Yesterday the US Supreme Court ruled that New York's "special" limits on religious gatherings violated the First Amendment to the US Constitution. In other words, Cuomo can't arbitrarily choose 10 or 25 people as an attendance limit for houses of worship while 100 are shopping at Costco at the same time. And it was our local Catholic diocese, along with Agudath Israel, that got this nonsense stopped. Happy Thanksgiving ya big turkey!

Woodside church sells lot to pay off their debts

 

 Queens Eagle

A 126-year-old Catholic parish in Woodside is selling a vacant piece of land that could help the church overcome its mounting debts.

St. Sebastian’s Roman Catholic Church has listed its half-acre lot at 39-53 57th Street for $6.25 million, and has tapped the brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield to facilitate the sale. 

The parish has accumulated significant debts while operating its community center, swimming pool and athletic fields over the past few years, Sunnyside Post reported. In July, the church laid off seven employees in the wake of a statewide shutdown and faced a $150,000 deficit at the end of August.

In July, St. Sebastian’s was named as a defendant in a Child Victims Act lawsuit filed by an anonymous plaintiff alleging that a former priest sexually assaulted him. Some neighbors have speculated that the sale is intended to help the broader Catholic Church pay off child sex abuse lawsuits, but the diocese that oversees Catholic churches in Queens and Brooklyn said that is not the case.

“The potential proceeds of this sale have not been earmarked for any specific purpose. This is simply a financially prudent decision,” said Brooklyn Diocese spokesperson John Quaglione. The church did not respond to requests for comment

St. Sebastian’s has been a vital part of Woodside since its founding in 1894. The current church building hosted its first mass in 1952 and the community center, open to all residents regardless of parish membership, opened its doors in 1968.

Queens Tourism Council Director Rob MacKay, a former St. Sebastian’s parishioner, said the church hosts family gatherings, community parties and local sporting events.

“It's kind of like family for many people,” MacKay said. “Even those who move away frequently come back for services and events. I have many great memories in that yard, such as barbecues and softball games, and I'll certainly miss it.”

MacKay said he hopes the property sale can pay off any existing debts and enable the parish to provide key community services in perpetuity. 

 

 

Church holds mass in honor of Mother Cabrini, the saint who won and got screwed out of the city's women's statue program

NY Post


More than 1,000 parishioners packed a Brooklyn church on Sunday to give Saint Frances Cabrini her dues — after the city passed her over for a statue, despite a groundswell of support.

The overflow crowd at Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary & St. Stephen church was the latest outcry from Catholics and Big Apple Italian-Americans after Cabrini was snubbed by First Lady Chirlane McCray’s “She Built NYC” statue program.

Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who founded 67 institutions to help the needy, finished first in a citywide poll asking who should get an effigy — but McCray and former Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen nonetheless decided not to grant her the honor.

“That’s a disgrace,” said Connie Gessler, who said Cabrini taught her grandmother. “Why did they have an election if they weren’t going to give one to the person with the most votes? How would she like it if we didn’t make her husband mayor if he got the most votes.”

The mass came after hundreds of Cabrini supporters gathered at Mother Cabrini Park on President Street and to the church.

NY Post 


Brooklyn Catholics are waging a holy war against First Lady Chirlane McCray.

After McCray enraged the faithful by ignoring the public’s top choice for her women’s statue program — Mother Frances Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants — the Brooklyn Diocese has launched a campaign to build its own monument to her.

“Mother Cabrini recently received the most votes in the ‘She Built NYC’ competition, which aims to build more statues honoring women,” the Diocese wrote in a press release. “But despite earning this top ranking, a public statue honoring her life is not being planned.”

The flock felt compelled to act after The Post revealed McCray’s statue snub, according to Monsignor 
David Cassato of the Italian Apostolate, which is leading the fundraising effort along with the diocese.

“There was a story in the New York Post about Mother Cabrini, that she did not receive a recognition of a statue, and that’s what precipitated our honoring her,” said Cassato, who plans to donate $1,000 to the cause.

Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio noted Cabrini is deserving of the “She Built” honor because she literally helped build New York City.

“Her work to establish orphanages, schools, and a hospital, along with her commitment to immigrants, absolutely should be recognized,” he said. “The failure to honor Mother Cabrini with a public statue would be an affront to many New Yorkers, especially Italian-Americans, who see her as most deserving.”

McCray, meanwhile, insisted through a spokeswoman that she is not “anti-Catholic.”

“To claim that the First Lady is anti-Catholic is a falsehood and outrageous,” said spokewoman Jaclyn Rothenberg.

“She was invited to speak at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and has worked with Catholic Charities on a variety of mental health issues. Every one of the monuments for She Built go through the same process and the decision-making on this one was no different.”

Cabrini was public’s top choice for a statue, garnering 219 nominations, but she, along with two ohter top-5 vote-getters — Emily Warren Roebling, who directed the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge, and Manhattan Music School founder Janet Schenck — were tossed in favor of more women of color and an LGBTQ activist.

The woman who finished in second place was journalist and author Jane Jacobs. So it makes sense why her and Mother Cabrini were blown off by the craven phony first lady/co-mayor and the neoliberal developer crony and fixer Alicia Glen. Because if they were alive they would be excoriating the policies affecting the affordable housing and homeless crisis those two elitist women are complicit with.

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A bulk of priests accused of sexual abuse served in Queens parishes.

 

QNS


The Diocese of Brooklyn released on Feb. 15 its list of living and deceased clergy who were determined to have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

The list spans over 166 years of the diocese. Diocesan officials believe that the accusations made against those on the list may be true.

Among the living priests that stand accused and have served in Queens include Brian Keller (St. Margaret, Middle Village), Andrezj Lukianiuk (Sacred Heart, Glendale) and Adam Prochaski (St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr, Ozone Park; Holy Cross, Maspeth). The full list contains names of clergy who have been convicted, who have admitted to sexual misconduct with a minor or who have had allegations determined credible by the Independent Diocesan Review Board.

Click here to view the full list.

“We know this list will generate many emotions for victims who have suffered terribly. For their suffering, I am truly sorry,” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, leader of the Diocese of Brooklyn. “I have met with many victims who have told me that more than anything, they want an acknowledgment of what was done to them. This list gives that recognition and I hope it will add another layer of healing for them on their journey toward wholeness.”
According to the diocese, the number of incidents of clergy sexual abuse peaked in the 1960s and 1970s, however reports weren’t made until after 2002 following the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People was enacted. Reports also saw another surge in 2017 when the diocese started the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP).

Losing their religion in Astoria

From the Queens Gazette:

The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island has filed plans to develop a five-story apartment building at 46-09 31st Avenue in Astoria, the former home of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.

The new building will feature a ground floor community room and lobby, 6 apartments on each of the second through fourth floors, and three apartments on the fifth floor, according to the plans.

The Diocese has not announced plans for demolition of the existing building, which is no longer used for Episcopal services, a spokesperson said.

Ozone Park getting f*cked with a shelter for mentally ill homeless men

From the Queens Chronicle:

The Department of Homeless Services will be opening a shelter in Ozone Park this coming winter as part of Mayor de Blasio’s “Turning the Tide on Homelessness on New York City” program.

In an email obtained by the Queens Chronicle, Amanda Nasar of the DHS outlined details of the shelter.

“DHS notified the electeds and [Community Board] ... that we’re opening a new shelter at 85-15 101st Avenue, Ozone Park, for 113 single adult males with mental illness,” said Nasar. “We anticipate this shelter opening in late winter.”

The site for the shelter is the location of the former Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church.

De Blasio’s plan includes creating around 90 new homeless shelters and renovating and expanding 30 existing shelters to combat the closing down of more than 350 “cluster sites.”

Borderline crap sits undone

The St. Nicholas church-to-crap conversion is taking a while.

Everything at this corner is currently an eyesore.

Once again, all this for a supposed 3-family house.

Greater Allen AME Church operating for 20 years without a C of O?

Well here's an interesting tidbit for ya...

The Greater Allen AME Cathedral and Conference Center (the church is also a major developer) in Jamaica has, according to online DOB records, been operating without a certificate of occupancy. They had a temporary one back in 1998 but it quickly expired.

The above list shows why they have yet to obtain a permanent C of O. (Yikes!)

This shows what they still need to file to become legit.

Filed in 1995, approved in 2017? At this rate they'll have their certificate sometime in 2050.

For those of you who aren't familiar with this church, it's run by former Congress Member Floyd Fake...er, Flake.

Woodside Succeeds in Defending Against Megachurch in Larger Fight Against Gentrification and Displacement

PRESS RELEASE

In September 2016, the Universal Church, on 69th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, had proposed to expand itself right in the heart of the Woodside community. The proposed structure of the “megachurch” would stand 70-feet high, taller than any surrounding building in the area. Not only would such a development be out-of-context in Woodside, but it would also break New York City building code that limits the height of building construction. It would set a dangerous precedent for commercialization and future development in the Woodside Community. And as a result would encourage gentrification and the displacement of residents especially working-class immigrant families. Organizations in New York City, such as Queens Anti-Gentrification Project (QAGP), Filipino American Democratic Club of New York, National Alliance of Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), and Anakbayan New York (ABNY) had convened with the Woodside community in response and strong opposition to this proposed development. In turn, these progressive community organizations and allies formed the Coalition to Defend Little Manila, dedicated to fight against the construction and expansion of this “megachurch” and its threats of gentrification of Woodside and displacement of its working-class migrant residents.

On January 5th, Community Board 2 (CB2), representing the Woodside, Sunnyside, and Long Island City neighborhoods, held its regular meeting with the megachurch proposal on its agenda. At that time, ABNY mobilized its members alongside the Woodside community in a speakout and rally against the megachurch construction to emphasize that it is the community who will decide what happens in Woodside, and the megachurch proposal was pushed to February 3rd. On February 3rd, the Coalition alongside Woodside residents mobilized to voice their concerns and dissent against the megachurch, and CB2 unanimously voted against the proposal. The Universal Church had then submitted its application to the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), asking for a variance to expand the church beyond the jurisdiction of CB2 and bypassing NYC zoning laws and building code. ABNY had successfully submitted a request to BSA dismissing the application on June 7, 2017, making it even harder for the Universal Church to continue forward in their development.

We are humbled by the support of the community in this fight. It was not CB2 nor the BSA that had defeated the megachurch development. It was the Woodside community, its residents and business owners, that had voiced their concerns by petitioning against it, by attending Community Board meetings, and sharing with members of the Coalition how they opposed such a development in their community. It was the community, and it is only ever the community, who can truly lead in its own defense, protection, and development. We understand that this small victory is but one step in a larger struggle against gentrification and displacement and that only with the support of the people can we achieve real victories in this fight.

City to help churches become developers

From Curbed:

A new program backed by the city and community partner Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) NYC will help nonprofits throughout the city develop affordable housing and community space on their underutilized properties.

The program, called the New York Land Opportunity Program or NYLOP, will provide free assistance to the institutions as they seek to develop their underused properties to benefit the community at large. Participation in NYLOP will come with access to lawyers and architects and help the institutions with issuing requests for proposals so that they can identify and select experienced developers as joint venture partners.

NYLOP is launching with five nonprofit institutions in its first round. All five institutions are faith-based organizations and include The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist with property in Murray Hill, Manhattan; St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in The Bronx; Shiloh Church of Christ in Harlem; Wakefield Grace United Methodist Church in the Wakefield neighborhood of The Bronx; and St. John’s Global Ministries near downtown Jamaica, Queens.

“Working with New York City’s community-based organizations, and particularly faith-based leaders, we are finding new ways to turn underutilized lots into modern affordable housing and community spaces that will benefit New Yorkers in need,” Mayor de Blasio said in a statement.

In addition to helping nonprofit institutions bring affordable housing to their neighborhoods, NYLOP will also help the churches create space for crucial community programs.

St. Nicholas Ave church-to-crap

I missed the unveiling of this rendering back in 2015 when Curbed put it out there. But I had the misfortune of passing the site recently and saw it on their sign. Yikes.

Believe it or not, this is supposedly going to be a 3-family home.

Who will be housed at Ridgewood shelter? Depends who you ask

From the Queens Chronicle:

The Ridgewood Presbyterian Church is negotiating a partnership with a homeless services nonprofit to provide beds for about a dozen homeless people who frequent the area near the Forest Avenue subway station.
According to the Department of Homeless Services, the 59-14 70 Ave. house of worship recently reached out to the agency, looking to expand its existing programs geared toward the neighborhood’s undomiciled population.
While an agreement has yet to be signed between the church and street homeless outreach group Breaking Ground, the two entities are eyeing the placing of about 15 beds within the building.

Ok, so it will be an overnight refuge for local Ridgewood homeless living on the street.

From the Queens Tribune:

Reverend Victoria Moff said that the church is gearing the program, which may launch at the beginning of September, toward people who are living in a dangerous situation or have been evicted due to rent increases. Moff said that when the church has empty beds, it will be open to taking Breaking Ground’s clientele.
“We’re not even calling it a shelter,” Moff said. “A lot of the people are seniors and we know them through our senior program.”

She added that Breaking Ground will help the guests find permanent affordable housing.

“The ones [from their senior program] I know are retired and not working,” Moff said. “As long as they meet our criteria—no one violent and no one with substance abuse problems.

So it's not the people living in the streets near the subway but people from the church's senior program? Hmmm....

From QNS:

According to Christopher Winter, the lead consultant on the project with Ridgewood Presbyterian Church, no one will be bussed into Ridgewood to use the services. It is for the local residents who are having housing issues.

Ok, so it's definitely for neighborhood people. Got it.

From the Glendale Register:

The Glendale Register has learned in an exclusive interview with the Department of Homeless Services that a Ridgewood church is considering providing overnight beds to homeless individuals living on the streets. 

Existing space in Ridgewood Presbyterian Church, located at the intersection of Forest and 70th avenues, would be utilized for up to 15 beds. Needy individuals would be referred to the church on a nightly basis by Breaking Ground, the city’s largest supportive housing provider...a spokesperson stressed the site is not technically a homeless shelter, drop-in center or safe haven.

Well then what is it? This is all very confusing. They seem to morph from street homeless to seniors depending on who is being interviewed. Sounds like they all got caught off guard and couldn't get their stories straight. Whatever the real version is, let's hope it's not these folks:

“I have an obligation to my 4-year-olds and their parents that they are going to be safe, but I can’t guarantee that with some of the guys there,” Monahan continued. “Some are very violent. And after renovating the space, it will be a shame that no one wants to go to pre-K there because of the homeless there.”

“We have a quandary,” Monahan said. “These people don’t want to go to a shelter of any kind. They drink at all hours of the day. They pee out in public. It really is a terrible situation. I know they don’t have any place to go, but my parents can’t walk down the block without being somewhat harassed.”

This is some city we live in.

Majestic Ridgewood church seeks tower repair funds

The following is a request for donations being circulated on behalf of St. Aloysius Church in Ridgewood:

You may or may not be aware that the bell towers of the Church are in desperate need of repair and the bells and clocks have not been working for over 10 years. This fundraiser is for the
benefit of restoring the bells. Through your generous donations Saint Aloysius Church will repair the bells and also preserve an important asset to the Ridgewood community. Please note that the donation is a tax write off and you can request a tax receipt letter.

To make a donation to the tower fund, mail check to:

St. Aloysius R.C. Church
382 Onderdonk Avenue
Ridgewood, NY 11385

There's also a special fundraiser scheduled for later this year for alumni.

If the church had been landmarked, it could have qualified for special grants. Oh well.

Our Lady of Loreto is in court

From AM-NY:

It has arrived in the form of a showdown between a faith-based group determined to level a 109-year-old church to erect affordable housing and residents who want to preserve their neighborhood’s patrimony while providing a hub for Brownsville culture.

Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Bernard Graham issued a temporary stop to the demolition of the magnificent, albeit deteriorating, Our Lady of Loreto Roman Catholic church on April 26.

A final decision on the historic architectural gem is expected to be handed down on May 9.

Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development Corporation (CCPOP), which leases the site from the Diocese of Brooklyn, wants to demolish the 1908 Italian Renaissance church at Sackman and Pacific streets to erect an unknown number of “energy-efficient units for low-income families” in a city where almost 60,000 people are homeless.

Members of the Brownsville Cultural Coalition and others long to landmark the church, which was closed to parishioners around 2008, and repurpose the shrine built by an all-Italian team of craftsmen into a cultural center for residents woefully short in community spaces for the arts.

Housing is important, said Miriam Robertson, executive director of the Brownsville Cultural Coalition, but Brownsville also needs to honor and preserve an important and elegant monument to its immigrant roots and history.

The pro se lawsuit that resulted in the current stay of demolition charges that multiple defendants failed to abide by a 2010 “letter of resolution” concerning the property. The letter of resolution stipulates “the Church itself shall not be demolished, reconstructed or damaged,” and was signed by the then CCPOP CEO and other parties. The church, said the resolution, “is not on the portion of the site of the modified project” slated for homes.

The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, said a commission spokeswoman, “has carefully reviewed this building several times over the past few years and each time determined not to advance it for further consideration due to a lack of support from critical community stakeholders, including the Council member,” for the district, Rafael Espinal.

Our Lady of Loreto Church faces demolition

From Brownstoner:

The city has issued a demolition permit for Our Lady of Loreto Church at 126 Sackman Street, meaning the beloved Ocean Hill church could be demolished any day. The demolition permit was issued on March 24 to demolition firm Titan Industrial Services Corporation.

The Renaissance style church was completed in 1908 and designed by architect Adriano Armezzani, an Italian immigrant who worked with fellow Italian craftsmen — including a sculptor, painter and builder — to complete the project.

Shuttered by the diocese in 2009, it has been at the center of an ongoing struggle between preservation and demolition ever since. After the closure and abandoning plans for demolition, the diocese leased the land to another Catholic organization, Catholic Charities.

An agreement was signed with the State Historic Preservation Office not to demolish the church, and to build an $18 million development consisting of 64 affordable units on part of the land. The plan to reuse the church as a community center never panned out.

Pastors coin great new phrase about BDB: "Input Zero"

From the Daily News:

We are pastors and leaders of Metro Industrial Areas Foundation, and we had an experience in March 2014 with the then-newly elected mayor that foreshadowed this tendency. During the primary season, Metro IAF and the Daily News hosted three mayoral candidate forums for all the major contenders. In those events, we had asked the candidates if they would attend a major assembly within three months of their inauguration if elected.

All the candidates, including Bill de Blasio, readily agreed.

De Blasio won, and then his time came. By the night before the assembly at the Brooklyn Marriott, all 2,200 tickets were issued. An additional several thousand citizens were eager to attend but unable to fit into the ballroom. The mayor’s top community affairs appointee called and said that the mayor had decided not to attend.

We asked, “For what reason? Didn’t he remember the promise he’d made?”

“The reason is that you insist on asking the mayor questions,” the aide said.

Bowne Street Church designated a landmark by LPC

From the Queens Tribune:

The Bowne Street Community Church is en route to being landmarked by the city after a decade-long wait.

The City Council’s Landmarks Committee, led by Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing), unanimously voted on Tuesday to approve the church’s designation. That was followed by a vote of approval by the Council’s Land Use Committee on Wednesday. The decision will be finalized with a full City Council vote next week, where the measure is expected to pass.

The designation was first sought by members of the community in 2002 after the church’s building committee proposed demolishing the building to allow the development of a 20-story residential building in exchange for a new church and a $1 million payment, according to Koo’s office. It was initially slated for designation in 2003 by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), but had been delayed over negotiations and backlogged until this past December, when the LPC voted in favor of designation.

The original 2003 proposal would have designated the entire lot, including a parking lot and annex. That became a point of discussion throughout the church’s designation process as Koo worked with LPC to redraw the designation map to exclude the parking lot and annex, leaving the church with 100,000 square feet of potential development rights and still preserving the original structure of the Bowne Street Church. The current designation applies only to the exterior walls and windows of the church.