Wednesday, February 11, 2009

ALERT! West-Park Presbyterian to be demolished?

West-Park Presbyterian Church needs your help!

Neighbors of the red-sandstone historic gem anchoring the northeast corner of West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue have recently observed workers removing pieces of West-Park’s interior. More than one worker confirmed that the building is being readied for demolition. Without landmark protection, this beloved Romanesque-style church—called “unquestionably one of the most beautiful religious structures on the Upper West Side” by Andrew S. Dolkart—could continue to be dismantled, stone by stone.

Beyond any reasonable doubt, and as attested by the statements of New York’s most prominent architectural historians, West-Park is worthy of designation as a New York City Individual Landmark (click HERE to read copies of some recent statements—requests for West-Park to be heard date back more than two decades!). The site was determined eligible for the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2001.

LANDMARK WEST!, the Friends of West-Park and many others in our community and beyond are writing, emailing, and calling (for the 10th, 100th, 1000th time) the Landmarks Preservation Commission to stress the urgent need for landmark protection of West-Park. JOIN US! In unity (and volume), there’s strength. Here’s what you can do:

Contact the LPC today and urge them to act immediately to calendar West-Park Presbyterian for a public hearing.

Hon. Robert B. Tierney, Chair
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
1 Centre Street, 9th Floor
New York, New York 10007
Phone: 212-669-7888
Fax: 212-669-7955
Email: comments@lpc.nyc.gov

Also contact the City Council member who represents the West-Park neighborhood:

Hon. Gale A. Brewer
NYC Council Member
563 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024
Phone: 212-873-0282
Fax: 212-873-0279
Email: brewer@council.nyc.ny.us

West-Park is down to the wire. YOU can make the difference. Please help save this landmark!