There is a sliver of hope for Brooklyn residents hoping to save a more than century-old church from the wrecking ball.

The Park Church is located on a quiet, residential street in Greenpoint, directly across from McGolrick Park. But the Metropolitan New York Synod has accepted a multi-million dollar offer to sell the church to GW Equities LLC — a private developer.

What You Need To Know

  • The Metropolitan New York Synod has accepted a multi-million dollar offer to sell the church to GW Equities LLC — a private developer

  • It’s unclear what GW Equities plans to do with the church, but activists fear the building will be demolished and turned into luxury housing

  • Nonprofits and religious organizations must get approval from State Attorney General Letitia James or a state judge for the sale to go through

  • A spokesperson for Metropolitan New York Synod said this decision was made due to a decline in worshipers and safety concerns about the building's structure

"It can't be overstated how important it is to preserve spaces where people can get together and practice community," said Jamie Hook, a community activist who is fighting to save the church. He hopes to turn it into a community and event space called “CommonPlace," equipped with a cafe, co-working area and a large kitchen. Hook, along with local elected leaders, made his case to a Manhattan Supreme Court judge during a virtual hearing last week.

"A couple of people have said that's a hopeless task, it sounds like a done deal and the way I think is the truly hopeless thing is to walk around this neighborhood assuming you can't do anything about what's happening. That's literally a hopeless position," said Hook.

It’s unclear what GW Equities plans to do with the church, but activists fear the building will be demolished and turned into luxury housing.

"Every single person has come to me in despair saying this is important to me because it's where I took music lessons, it's where I worked in a soup kitchen, it's where I used to go to church, it's where I used to do theater. All of these different uses matter to the neighborhood just as much as housing does," said State Assembly member Emily Gallagher, who represents Greenpoint.

Originally built in 1899, the English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Messiah was the only English-language church in Greenpoint. Thanks to a growing congregation, they purchased a nearby lot and construction began in 1901.

The Park Church opened in 1908 to a growing Lutheran congregation. But as with so many religious institutions, the Park Church saw its audience dwindle over the years and by 2008, bankruptcy was looming. That’s when the church opened its doors to non-religious uses, serving as a performance space, farmer’s market and homeless shelter.

"There's a community need for community space and this is something that we have not seen be created but be destroyed at a very rapid pace," said Gallagher.

Nonprofits and religious organizations must get approval from State Attorney General Letitia James or a state judge for the sale to go through. According to letter penned by Assistant Attorney General Coleen McGrath, James has “no objection” to the deal, but she has received a “number of complaints objecting to the proposed sale."

Meanwhile, Hook says he hopes, at the very least, efforts to save the Park Church will inspire other neighborhoods to prioritize community spaces.

"If we can leave a road map for other communities on how to deal with their churches, then we've left things slightly better than we found them," said Hook.

A spokesperson for Metropolitan New York Synod said this decision was made due to a decline in worshipers and safety concerns about the building's structure. A state judge will determine if the sale can move forward.