MANHATTAN — This church may go from prayer candles to posh condos.
The site of the century-old Catholic church overlooking the entrance to the Holland Tunnel is on the market as space for new homes and businesses.
The Archdiocese of New York, which closed the 568-70 Broome St. church in 2007, has listed the Our Lady of Vilnius lot for $13 million, The Villager first reported.
The 3,800-square-foot lot, which includes the church building as well as additional space, would be delivered vacant to a buyer following approval of Trinity Real Estate's request for city rezoning of the former manufacturing district of Hudson Square.
"With the approval of the pending rezoning, the property represents an opportunity for a large residential and commercial development," read a listing quietly released Jan. 18 by exclusive brokers at Massey Knakal Realty Services.
Neither the Archdiocese nor Massey Knakal brokers were immediately available to comment on development plans for the former church.
There are no active construction or demolition permits for the lot, according to the Department of Buildings website.
After parishioners sued the archdiocese to try to save the church, New York state's highest court ruled in December 2011 the archdiocese has the right to use the building and lot as it sees fit.
Our Lady of Vilnius was founded by Lithuanian immigrants in 1905, according to its website.
Before the church closed in 2007, it welcomed no more than 30 regular attendees each Sunday, according to a statement released then by the archdiocese.
The city Landmarks Preservation Commission determined in 2007 that the church was not eligible to be designated a landmark, a spokeswoman said. The reasons for that decision were not immediately available.
