Boro President Throws Support Behind Historic Endangered Church

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN -- Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams has thrown support behind preservationists hoping to save a historic Flatbush church, recently sold for more than $3.3 million to an anonymous LLC, from demolition.

Adams wrote the city's Landmark Preservation Commission last Tuesday requesting Commissioner Sarah Carroll take action, before it was too late, to protect the century-old Presbytery of New York City on East 23rd Street and Foster Avenue.

The LPC previously told Respect Brooklyn — the preservationist group that filed an emergency request to preserve the church last winter — that while the church merited study, the commission did not deem the project a priority, according to Adams' letter.

"As I understand it, regardless of the consideration that LPC feels Flatbush Presbyterian Church deserves, designating it less of a priority is commensurate with making a decision against it being preserved as a landmark," Adams said.

"If the planned demolition goes forward, there will be nothing left to study."

The church's fate remains uncertain after brokerage firm Colliers International negotiated the sale to 494 East 23rd Street LLC, represented by Israel Rosenbaum, of what they call a 14,460-square-foot "development site."

The English Gothic style church was designed by John J. Petit in 1898 and known as "The Little Stone Church in the Potato Patch."

It is adorned with the a Gothic tower with crocket-enhanced spires, clerestory windows, trefoil-style crowned windows, and pointed arches, was updated by Hobart B. Upjohn in 1922 and celebrated by the Architectural Forum Journal in 1925.

Preservationists worry the church is vulnerable to demolition, despite remaining in "perfect condition," because the church is without a congregation, the group wrote in January.

Adams' support letter is the result of a letter-writing campaign directed at Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

"We are grateful for the support of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams in the ongoing community campaign to get the former Flatbush Presbyterian Church landmarked," Respect Brooklyn stated.

"We hope other local elected officials will follow the lead of Mr. Adams and encourage the Landmarks Preservation Commission to do their job and make landmarking appropriate sites and expanding historic district protections in Flatbush and the rest of Brooklyn the priority it deserves."

Read the letter here: