The fight to save Park Church Co-op comes to a sad close—the building will be demolished soon, an activist connected to the battle tells us.
Jamie Hook, who has been spearheading the campaign to save the church, emailed the community this morning.
It’s undoubtedly a loss for Greenpoint but perhaps the Park Church Co-op story might lead to better outcomes for third places in a similar situation.
“Our efforts to save this beloved landmark have not been in vain, however: Thanks to the derring-do of our erstwhile State Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, a new bill, #A10232, which would significantly empower the non-religious communities who use our city’s churches in the event of a sale by the non-profit governing body, is now before the assembly,” Hook shared in the email.
It’s been a long battle for church supporters. More than just a church, Park Church Co-op served as a long-standing community space filled with dance parties and after school programs. The church’s operating body, the Metropolitan New York Synod, shuttered the church in 2022 and put it up for sale. As a religious building, the proposed sale to GW Equities LLC was subject to the state’s Attorney General. Community members hoped to raise money for a counteroffer, but the plan was unsuccessful.
In classic property owner fashion, while it is known that GW Equities LLC purchased the site, we have yet to find a good contact to reach out for comment about its future.
You can join fellow Park Church supporters at a rally in front of the building this Friday, June 21, at 3 p.m.
What a travesty. Just what the neighborhood needs, another character-less apartment building. I hope the neighbors on both sides get good lawyers because their buildings will be damaged by the teardown and construction just like what happened to my home.
This is a tragedy. I wonder why these developers choose to destroy the very beauty that made New York what it is today. Not only have these developments driven out the very artists who made New York special, but they are also now destroying the unique beauty of our city.
As with several other repurposed church structures in Greenpoint & Williamsburg , it would be ideal to ay least preserve the facade of the church, and remake the interior into several spacious high ceilinged apartments. With stained glass as a perk! A wise real estate investor would find that to be a profitable option as opposed to tearing down this beautiful rustic building. I’m guessing that there is no chance to at least have the facade declared as a historic/protected part of the building??
It’s interesting that the ASBESTOS ASSESSMENT REPORT filed on DOBNOW for the alteration of this address states that while floor tile, waterproofing, and pipe insulation were found positive for asbestos, these materials “will not be disturbed during construction activity”. So apparently they are going to convert the existing church into 10 residential units without touching those materials. That will be amazing to watch!