Upper West Side church preservation fight pits celebrities against parishioners

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Celebrity Backlash as Upper West Side Church Tries to Sell for $50 Million Amid Preservation Fight

The historic West Park Presbyterian Church, a 135-year-old landmark on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is at the center of a heated debate between preservationists and parishioners. The church's congregation has proposed selling the property to a luxury developer for $50 million, citing financial difficulties in maintaining the building.

However, a small group of preservation-minded neighbors, including actors Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Matt Dillon, have joined forces with an arts nonprofit to fight against the sale. They argue that the church's maintenance should prioritize community work and social justice initiatives rather than luxury development.

The church's leadership has been facing financial struggles since chunks of the building started falling onto West 86th Street in the early 2000s. The congregation found itself unable to afford repairs, and basic renovations are estimated to cost $9 million.

Despite the controversy, the church's dwindling membership has raised concerns about its ability to continue maintaining the property without significant financial assistance. The church owes $200,000 for loans tied to maintenance, and its leaders argue that it cannot take on more debt.

The preservationists, however, see the sale as an opportunity to fund social justice initiatives and community services. They believe that the landmark designation has limited the congregation's ability to adapt and evolve.

In a surprising twist, several high-profile celebrities have joined the fight to save the church. Actress Debby Hirshman claims that they are motivated by their values of social justice and community work. However, it remains unclear whether these celebrity supporters will directly influence the upcoming hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The commission is set to decide on December 9th whether to strip the church of its landmark status, paving the way for the sale. If successful, the church's $50 million sale would be one of the rarest examples of a landmark designation being revoked in the last 57 years.

As the debate rages on, community members and preservationists alike are left wondering about the future of West Park Presbyterian Church. Will the historic landmark remain intact, or will it succumb to financial pressures and luxury development?
 
I THINK IT'S CRAZY THAT A CHURCH ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE IS EVEN CONSIDERING SELLING TO SOME RICH DEVELOPER FOR 50 MILLION DOLLARS!!! 🤯 I MEAN, DON'T GET ME WRONG, FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES ARE SERIOUS, BUT YOU CAN'T JUST GIVE UP ON A piece of history like THAT. THE COMMUNITY IS COUNTING ON IT AND THE PRESERVATIONISTS HAVE A POINT TOO. LET'S HOPE THE LANDMARK COMMISSION SEEKS THE GREATER GOOD HERE AND SAVES THIS CHURCH FOR THE PEOPLE 🙏
 
🤔 I'm kinda surprised that celebs like Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson are speaking out against selling the church to a developer. I mean, they're not just random fans, they've actually been involved in some of the preservation efforts too! 🙌 The thing is, the church has been losing its membership and struggling financially for years, so it's hard to blame them for wanting a way out.

But at the same time, if we sell off historic landmarks like this, what's next? Are we gonna start demolishing old buildings left and right because they're not making enough cash? 🤑 I get where the congregation wants to prioritize community work and social justice, but is it really possible for them to make that happen on a $50 million budget?

I guess only time will tell if the church's members can come up with a more sustainable plan or if the Landmarks Preservation Commission makes the right call. Fingers crossed they keep the landmark status! 🤞
 
😱🏙️ This is getting crazy! 🤯 The church has been in trouble for ages, but I thought preserving history was more important than just making a quick buck 💸🕊️ I mean, who's gonna save the building if we don't prioritize it? 🤔 It's all about community and social justice, right? ❤️ The fact that celebs are jumping on board is awesome 🙌, but what really matters is the voices of everyday people who care about this place 🗣️ We need to make sure our leaders listen and protect the church for future generations 👴🏻👵🏻
 
omg I'm literally livid 🤯 about this church situation! The fact that a luxury developer is trying to swoop in and buy out an iconic landmark just because the congregation can't afford repairs is just crazy 🤑. I get it, finances are tight, but selling out to the highest bidder isn't the answer 🙅‍♂️.

And what's with the hypocrisy? The church has been struggling for years and now they're expecting us to believe that social justice initiatives and community services will magically cover all the costs? 🤔 It just doesn't add up.

I'm so glad to see some of these celebrities stepping up and speaking out about this issue 💪. We need more people like them who care about preserving our cultural heritage, not just lining their own pockets 💸. Fingers crossed that the Landmarks Preservation Commission does the right thing and keeps the church's landmark status intact 🙏
 
I'm so worried about this church, guys! 🤕 #SaveTheChurch I mean, can you imagine losing a piece of history like that? The community has always been super important there, and now they're trying to sell out to some rich developer who just wants to make a quick buck. 💸 It's not right, you know? #NotMyLandmark

I'm all about preserving our culture and heritage, and this church is an iconic part of New York City's fabric. We need to stand up for what's important, like community work and social justice initiatives, not just luxury condos. 🤝 #JusticeForTheChurch

These celebrity supporters are on the right track by speaking out against the sale. It's about more than just saving a building; it's about preserving our values and sense of community. 💖 #SaveWestParkPresbyterianChurch
 
Ugh, this is like something straight outta a '90s time capsule 🙄! You got these old-school churches trying to sell off their heritage for a quick buck, while the community is all like "hey, what about our social justice initiatives?" It's just not right. I mean, I get it, the church is struggling financially, but revoking landmark status? That's just a recipe for disaster 🤦‍♂️.

And can we talk about these celebrities trying to save the church? Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo are all about this social justice thing, but what are they going to bring to the table? A fancy check or two? I don't think so 💸. This is a community issue, not just some high-profile PR stunt.

The preservationists have got a point though - we need more community-driven initiatives and less luxury development on our hands 🙌. Let's keep this church as a hub for social justice and community work, not just a cash cow for wealthy developers 💸. It's like they say: you can't put a price on history, but sometimes I think it feels like we're trying to do just that 💔.
 
🤔 I think this is a pretty tough spot for the church. On one hand, $50 million could be life-saving for their maintenance fund 📈, but on the other hand, giving up landmark status would be a huge loss for the community that cares about preserving history 🏛️. As an outsider looking in, I'm not sure what's more concerning - the financial struggles or the fact that some folks are willing to sell out on a piece of Manhattan history 💸. And with all these celebrities jumping into the fray, it's like they're trying to buy their way out of this problem 🤑. Can't we just find a middle ground where both the church and the community can benefit? 🤷‍♂️
 
Can't believe some people think money is more important than history and community 😂. The church's iconic status shouldn't be sold just because of a few bucks 💸.
 
omg, this is insane!!! $50 million?! they gotta be kidding me! the church's been struggling for years & now they wanna sell it 4 a luxe dev's profit 🤑💸. and 2 think selling out is the answer 2 their financial probs? no way, fam! preserve the history, not just the benjamins 💪🏽🕊️. and btw, celebs like Mark Ruffalo & Scarlett Johansson are totes on board w/ the preservationists 🙌🏽👍. gotta keep that landmark status intact 4 the community's sake 🌟
 
I'm low-key worried about this church 🤔. On one hand, $50 million is a life-changing amount for the parishioners who are struggling financially. I get why they'd want to sell - it's a huge weight off their shoulders. But on the other hand, losing that landmark would be devastating for the community 🌆. Those preservationists are fighting hard for a reason, and if we lose this church, we'll really lose something special.

I also feel like the celebrity support is kind of...interesting 🤷‍♀️. Are they just in it for the 'cause' or do they genuinely care about preserving historic landmarks? Either way, it's definitely bringing attention to the issue, and that's gotta count for something 😊.

The thing is, this sale would set a bad precedent - if we start revoking landmark status left and right, what's next? 🤯 The preservationists have a point that our focus on luxury development might be coming at the expense of community needs. It's not an easy decision, but I think it's one we need to take seriously...for now 😬
 
[Image of a church with a big " SOLD" sign in front of it, then quickly changes to a picture of Mark Ruffalo and his friends laughing together, with a caption: "Preservationists: Not just about the church, but about the community!"] 🤝🏼🕊️
 
omg u guys! i cant even believe these celebrities like mark ruffalo, scarlett johansson, and matt dillon are fighting to save this church!!! its not just about preserving a building, its about the community that's been there for 135 years. i mean yeah, financial struggles are real but can't they find another way to keep it going? selling it to some rich dude who just wants to tear it down isnt the answer. what if they use the money from the sale to help the community instead of just lining some luxury developer's pockets?! i'm literally shaking with excitement thinking about all the social justice initiatives that could happen if this church gets saved.
 
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