Bay Ridge Church Selling Its Soul For Condos
Given the amount of money that organized religion has plowed into building grandiose architecture throughout history, it was interesting to read Reverend Robert Emerick’s rationalization of why the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church should forsake its own architectural history in favor of condos: “Even if we had the money we shouldn’t be putting it all…
Given the amount of money that organized religion has plowed into building grandiose architecture throughout history, it was interesting to read Reverend Robert Emerick’s rationalization of why the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church should forsake its own architectural history in favor of condos: “Even if we had the money we shouldn’t be putting it all into repairs,” he said. “That’s not what Jesus had in mind.” That’s right, Rev, and Jesus was all about condos! Despite the efforts of preservationists, the 108-year-old green church is close to being sold for $12 million to developers who would build an apartment building on the 24,000-square-foot lot in addition to a new small church for the existing congregation. If art has no connection to spirituality, why stop at destroying the church’s architecture? What about music and fine art? Boo, hiss.
Sacrificing Sanctuary for Condos [NY Daily News]
Forgotten Tour 20: Bay Ridge [Forgotten NY]
Care about the Green Church? Join the fight to save it!
SaveTheGreenChurch@yahoo.com.
My church would like to move into the building and take over, but 12 million is quite steep. Maybe we can make a deal. tony@2efc.org
I live just down the street from the church in question here, and have heard the “stop building Fedders already” argument over and over and it’s wearing thin on me. As a renter, I am itching to be able to pay a mortgage rather than rent, and condos can be a nice entry point for first-time buyers in this city. Real estate is tight and expensive in Bay Ridge, but I love living here, and when it’s time for my husband and I to buy, we’ll probably have to leave. I say bring on the condos – though I do hope they are built with more concern for the neighborhood aesthetics than others have been.
As for budgets and morals – yes, I agree budgets show where your prioritites are. But as a Christian, your priority should not be preserving a moneypit. It should be spreading the Gospel, and if your building drains your ability to do that, you should shed it. Open the Bible – Jesus didn’t send his disciples out to preach with a full complement of camping gear and the first century equivalent of an RV. They took one tunic and set out to preach and serve, dependent on the generosity of their communities.
For about a year I attended Visitation church in Red Hook. Its a beautiful church, one of the nicest in Brooklyn, I’d argue. But it’s falling apart. I always wondered why the preservationist will do so much to save the buildings in the neighborhood but do so little to save the institutions that make up the neighborhood.
Just think of how many pictures you’ve seen on-line of the Revere Sugar Dome being demolished and how many pictures you’ve seen of the stain glass at Visitation.
“serve the Gospel by gettinng top dollar for their property”
hmmm you could be on to something with that comment.. Realtors please take note.
Oh Lord (pun intended). Brooklyn was developed by land speculators who first built churches for free and then lured congregations over to buy in the areas surrounding the church. Now you’re upset because the congregations are turning the tables?
Where I’m from congregations (mostly fundamentalists) waste billions on sanctuaries while people in their communities go hungry and without proper education. If this congregation thinks they can better serve the Gospel by gettinng top dollar for their property, then you have little room to judge them.
As for what bubble, why should they break up the parcel to suit you? Would you do the same for a buyer who made a similar offer? Come on.
borough of churches, eh?
Tear it down. Alot of bad vibes in that place with all the little boys that were diddled in there. Better yet, hand it over to the victims and let them decide what to do with it.
That church is about the only thing pleasing to the eye left on that corner. Typical of the irony/absurdity of architectural preservation in Bay Ridge, the adjacent block (bet. Ridge and 3rd) is about to become a historical landmark. Nevermind that several 6 story apartments already dwarf what’s left of the original brownstone row. It’s hodge podge; neither here nor there and generally uninspired – like dining on 3rd Ave (ouch!).