A historic church on the Upper West Side could face the wrecking ball if the congregation and church leadership get their way, but community members won’t give up without a fight.

Community Board 7 held a public hearing on the future of West Park Presbyterian Church on Thursday. Last month, the West Park Administrative Commission submitted a hardship application to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. 

What You Need To Know

Last month, the West Park Administrative Commission submitted a hardship application to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission which, if approved, would clear the way for the demolition of West Park Presbyterian Church

The 135-year-old church at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue would then be sold to a developer, who plans to build a high-rise luxury apartment building

The Presbytery, which governs the church, say the building is beyond repair, and it would cost more than $40 million to restore and renovate it

Those opposed to the sale say the church, which serves as a haven for hundreds of artists, is safe and can be restored for far less money

If approved, the church would be stripped of its landmark status, clearing the way for demolition.

The 135-year-old church at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue would then be sold to a developer, who plans to build a high-rise luxury apartment building.

Ultimately, in a 5-2 vote, the community board determined that the church did not meet the necessary criteria for hardship, and therefore should not lose its landmark status nor be demolished.

“They effectively voted down the prospect of a hardship. In other words, they found that the criteria necessary to establish hardship so the building could be demolished — those criteria were not fully met and therefore, the application should be denied, and that’s what the committee just voted on,” said Michael Hiller, the attorney for the Center at West Park.

The Presbytery, which governs the church, says the building is beyond repair, and it would cost more than $40 million to restore and renovate it. The West Park Administrative Commission says the church has facade erosion, roof separation, unsafe walls and a sidewalk shed that’s been up for 25 years.

“I think this is really critical, not just for the city at large, but for the Upper West Side, which can benefit from this plan going forward. It will lead to the demolition of a landmark building that the church can no longer maintain. But the church will get in return a 10,000-square-foot space in the new building that will be constructed on this site,” said Roger Leaf, chair of the West Park Administrative Commission.

The West Park Administrative Commission says the church had less than $500 in cash and is hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Church leadership says it plans to use money from the sale to open a social justice fund for families in need.

The church serves as a haven and workspace for artists who oppose the sale and want to see it become a permanent public arts and community space. Those opposed to the sale say the church is safe and can be restored for far less money.

“This building goes back to the 1800s. It can never be replaced. The economics can be addressed, and there is a way to have a win-win here,” said Stephanie Morris, an Upper West Side resident and longtime supporter of the church.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission will ultimately vote on whether the church will be stripped of its landmark status. Community Board 7 will offer its recommendation to the commission, which will take that into account before deciding on the church’s future.