20 years ago, the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, at 86th street and West End Avenue, was landmarked against the will of the congregation. Since that time, the social justice mission of St. Paul and St. Andrew has been severely constrained by the significant costs of maintaining the bricks and mortar of the church - since landmarking brings with it virtually no funds to preserve the landmarked property. Despite this landmarking of SPSA, through the outstanding leadership of the Reverend K Karpen, the church has continued to be an invaluable resource to the community but it incurs a massive financial burden in maintaining its facilities. If it had not been subjected to forced landmarking, its plan to provide affordable housing and many more needed social and community services to the upper west side would have come to fruition and our city and its people would have been the richer. We now have an opportunity to see to it that this doesn't happen to West-Park Presbyterian Church.

To the Faith Community of
New York City

Show your opposition to New York City’s plans to landmark
West-Park Presbyterian Church
against the congregation’s will!

 On January 12th, the New York City Landmarks Preservation
Commission voted to designate West Park Presbyterian Church as a
New York City landmark – against the congregation’s will.

 On January 26th, the Presbytery of New York City voted to condemn
this action by the New York City Landmarks Preservation
Commission.

 On March 24, the NYC Interfaith Commission on the Landmarking of
Religious Property joined the opposition to the action of the
Landmarks Preservation Commission – and acknowledged that it was
a move that threatens houses of worship of all faiths across New
York City.

Attend the hearing of the Subcommittee on Landmarks,
Public Siting and Maritime Uses
(a subcommittee of the Committee on Land Use of the NY City Council)
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
Arrive at 9:30 am -- the hearing is at 11:00 am
New York City Hall 1 Centre Street (2nd floor)

For more information, contact The Rev. Dr. Robert L. Brashear
646.541.3329 rlbrashear@aol.com

Brief Statement

City Council Hearing Announcement