By Serena Solomon
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
CITY HALL — After hearing more than 60 opposing testimonies from church congregation and preservationists, the city council postponed a decision Wednesday on whether to veto the controversial landmarking of the West Park Presbyterian Church.
Time ran out before the Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime sub-committee decided whether to ratify the Landmark Preservation Commission's rullig that the 125-year-old Upper West Side church should be landmarked.
The Jan. 12 designation by the commission went against the will of the church and its congregation, who want to add apartments to the property to raise much-needed funds. The designation of the church as a “landmark” prevents them from doing the construction on the site.
The church's congregation argued at City Hall Wednesday that the designation impinged on freedom of religion, and said the financial burden of restoration and upkeep would be too great.
Due to water damage, the building needs a lot of expensive reconstruction work, church members testified. Because of the damage, the congregation has been meeting in the basement of another church building, and they put the West Park building up for sale.
But those in support of the designation said that the building's restoration could be financed by West Park sharing the space and cost with another organization, like a school.
Preservationists also pushed the historical significance of the red sandstone building on West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, saying its presence reminds the community of its values and morals.
"Their (the congregation of West Park) priority must be their religious mission," said Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky from the nearby Congregation Ansche Chesed. "The building must be in service to the mission and not the other way around."
Both preservationist and those in support of the congregation have led an intense campaign leading up to the hearing.
One member of the church was arrested over the weekend for graffiti that blasted Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who pushed for the building's landmark status.
