All over New York, churches have started to notice that paradoxically, one of the best ways to stay active and open is to sell property for demolition. The latest casualty is the Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church at 1975 Madison Avenue, which dates back to 1871 and became a black church in 1942. Its Gothic architecture and stained glass windows have long been admired, but the interior infrastructure is crumbling. Because of that, the church’s leadership struck a deal with a developer to demolish the building.
Google Earth capture of 1975 Madison Avenue
In this article:
Street-level view of 1975 Madison Avenue via Google Earth
Demolition underway as of October 2019 (CityRealty)
Parishioners, preservationists, and Manhattan Community Board 11 alike objected to the demolition, but church officials cite it as a necessary move to bring the historic church into the future. A new sanctuary would allow it to hold more services and attract a larger number of members. Moreover, permits for the new eight-story building call for a community facility, likely a new home for the church, on the ground floor.
Permits also call for 93 residential units on top, a departure from the original office plans. The average size of 833 square feet is indicative of rentals, and amenities will include a bike room, on-site parking, a lounge, a package room, and a roof deck. The renderings shown are likely not the final design, but the project is in good hands: DXA Studio, whose work includes the conversion of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church at 140 West 81st Street, is listed as the architect of record.
The new building comes at a time when buildings throughout Harlem have partnered with developers as a way of updating their properties in the face of diminishing congregations and rising price tags. At 10 Lenox Avenue, the Second Canaan Baptist Church teamed up with Level One Holdings to redevelop its property into an eight-story condominium with a new sanctuary on the lower levels. Current availabilities start at $725K, and closings average $1,481 per square foot.
To the west, the First Ebenezer Baptist Church sold its property at 2457 Frederick Douglass Boulevard to developer Almat Group in March 2017; the first floor of the fully occupied condominium is now being used as a new church. La Hermosa Church, the oldest Latino church on the East Coast, is well aware of the potential and gung-ho to work with a developer on a new residential tower and revitalized church.
To the west, the First Ebenezer Baptist Church sold its property at 2457 Frederick Douglass Boulevard to developer Almat Group in March 2017; the first floor of the fully occupied condominium is now being used as a new church. La Hermosa Church, the oldest Latino church on the East Coast, is well aware of the potential and gung-ho to work with a developer on a new residential tower and revitalized church.
Unprotected brownstones across from the doomed church (CityRealty)
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