Update: West Park Presbyterian Church
Larry Best, The Rev. Dr. Robert L. Brashear, Tom Garcia, and (not visible) Matthew Gottsegen & Patrick Baldoni inspect masonry façade and windows of West Park Presbyterian Church from the sidewalk bridge.
This April and May, the Conservancy administered urgent interim roof repairs to the sanctuary and community building, stopping four active leaks. Additionally, the Conservancy oversaw plumbing repairs to blocked cast iron storm drains, arresting active leaks in this recently designated landmark on the upper West Side. Missing leaders were replaced, roof drains cleaned, and a ladder provided to facilitate future inspection and maintenance. Altogether, $8,350 was expended, leaving a balance of just over $4,000 in the West Park Restoration Fund, established last year by New York City Council Member Gale Brewer and administered by the Conservancy.
At the same time, the Conservancy spent $10,000 from a special Rockefeller Foundation grant to initiate architectural services to establish a phased exterior restoration plan. While full exterior restoration is estimated at $11.5 million, the Conservancy’s goal is to try to break the project down into achievable phases— and determine how much a phased approach would add to total costs. The Conservancy has retained Matthew Gottsegen of Franke, Gottsegen, Cox Architects, who have worked with the congregation for many years. Matthew Gottsegen has assembled an expert team of consultants, including Ray Pepi and Dorothy Krotzer of Building Conservation Associates, Tom Garcia of the Gil Studios, Patrick J. Baldoni of Femenella & Associates, and probono services from Larry Best of F.J. Sciame Construction.
The consultants and Conservancy staff met on site, inspected the church from attic to cellar and has had several follow-up meetings, with a final report anticipated in June. This document should help guide ongoing fundraising and planning efforts.
