By Leslie Albrecht
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — A church under construction is creating an unholy disturbance among its neighbors who say the house of worship is too tall and blocks their view.
Redeemer Presbyterian, a fast-growing church with an ambitious senior pastor whose goal is to open nine new locations across New York by the end of the decade, is converting an old parking garage at 150 W. 83rd Street into a community and worship center.
Neighbors in the 75-unit co-op building directly behind the site claim Redeemer misled them about the size of the building and ignored concerns about how the new church — expected to draw thousands of followers and operate seven days a week — will affect the neighborhood.
"It’s a wolf in sheep's clothing," said Nina Teicholz, who spoke on behalf of residents at 139 W. 82nd Street who've been in constant negotiations with Redeemer since construction started.
Teicholz said in November 2008 the church's architect pointed from her bedroom window to show her how high Redeemer's fifth-floor addition would be, assuring her that the structure wouldn't block her seventh-floor light or views. Months later, Teicholz and her neighbors watched in dismay as tall steel beams rose on the roof of the old parking garage.
"You would think that a church would behave in a higher moral standard than your basic rapacious developer," Teicholz said.
Redeemer spokesman Cregan Cooke said the church's plans have always called for a 20-foot, one-story addition, that will make the building's new height 70 feet, four inches. On top of that is a 3 1/2-foot brick safety wall that wasn't shown in original plans, Cooke said in an email.
But Redeemer recently submitted plans to the Department of Buildings to add a 16-foot sound wall to block noise generated by its rooftop air-conditioning unit. That would bring the building's total height to roughly 86 feet.
"That's almost a 10-story building in mid-block," said Linda Alexander, a vice-chair of Community Board 7, who also lives in 139 W. 82nd Street. "How the hell did that happen?"
The neighbors have been so vocal that the Department of Buildings is investigating their complaints.
"We understand the community's concerns, and as a result, we are currently auditing the plans for this construction project to ensure it complies with all regulations," said Buildings spokesman Tony Sclafani.
Cooke said Redeemer has always "openly shared" plans with neighbors, even providing early drawings of the project, which is something most developers wouldn't do, he said.
The $52.5 million building, set to open next year, will have a sanctuary, classrooms, an auditorium and "fellowship hall" for large gatherings. The new building is part of Redeemer's 10-year, $20 million expansion campaign, which aims to "serve local neighborhoods with ministries of mercy and outreach," according to Redeemer's website.
The construction site made headlines recently when two workers died in an accident. The Department of Buildings issued 16 safety violations against contractor F. J. Sciame Construction; all but one have been resolved, a Sciame spokeswoman said.
Redeemer, which New York magazine said draws "a cross-section of yuppie Manhattanites," currently has about 1,800 members and averages around 5,000 attendees on Sunday services at three locations, Cooke said.
"We want to be good neighbors," the church's Director of Finance and Operations Brian Stanton told residents and local officials at a meeting in June 2010, according to minutes approved by the church. "Our goal is that we would like to have our neighbors be part of our community, and to be on good terms."
Neighbors are also worried about the heating and cooling equipment Redeemer will place on its roof. Neighbors spent $8,000 to hire an acoustical engineer to review the plans, and found that the equipment will generate twice the level of noise allowed under city code.
Neighbors also hired a mechanical engineer for $5,000 who came up with an alternative heating and cooling plan, but the church hasn't been receptive to that idea, residents said. The 16-foot-high sound wall is a response to those concerns, Cooke said.
"That's horrifying to us, because they’re already building much higher than we thought, so we couldn't understand why that would be allowed," Teicholz said.
Also of concern to neighbors is the fellowship hall and outdoor terrace that's part of the addition. The terrace, which is less than 20 feet from Teicholz and other residents' bedroom windows, could host gatherings for up to 74 people.
But Cooke said it's unlikely that many people would attend a function on the terrace, and added that the church will add plantings to increase residents' privacy.
The church has also agreed to reduce the usable size of our terrace, and to post noise monitors inside certain apartments to make sure noise limits aren't exceeded, Cooke said. The church is also considering limiting the hours when the terrace can be used.
City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who represents the Upper West Side, visited neighbors' apartments to get a look at the construction site.
"I can't imagine approving such a project, I don't understand it," Brewer said. "It's not just the construction, it's the use. The church has a right to build, but the DOB should have looked much more carefully at it."
Cooke said Redeember has gone out of its way to be neighborly, by meeting with neighbors several times, not working on weekends, and providing residents with regular updates on the project.
"We realize that no one likes construction in a residential neighborhood, and no one likes it when a view they once had is taken away," Cooke said in an email. "We have tried to be the best neighbors we can be under the circumstances."
