Landmark West-Park Presbyterian Church

congregants celebrate 100 years!  

West-Park Presbyterian Church

Happy birthday, West-Park!

Sunday, June 12th, marked the 100-year anniversary of the congregation at West-Park Presbyterian Church.*  It was this time, back in 1911, that the West and Park Presbyterian Churches--then two separate bodies--came together as one unified congregation. 

To commemorate the occasion, West-Park is hosting the Bridge Concert Series.  This four day musical series aims to "bridge" West-Park's past to its future.

Read on for more information about the Bridge Concert Series, as well as a recap of progress since the designation of West-Park!  

* West-Park Presbyterian Church is located on Amsterdam Avenue at West 86th Street.  Architect Leopold Eidlitz designed the original chapel in 1884, followed by architect Henry F. Kilburn's church addition in 1890.

West-Park Bridge Concert Series

The sanctuary of West-Park Presbyterian Church.

The Bridge Concert Series will take place on the evenings of June 16th - June 19th (this Thursday through Sunday), and offers a range of musical styles and genres and a host of talented performers.  All concerts begin at 7PM! 

Thursday, June 16th:      Bridge to Possibilities  An eclectic group  of singer-songwriters: Amanda Christine, Kristen Leigh, and Susannah Conn, hosted by the Stony Point Center, a conference center focused on justice, art, sustainability, and spirituality.

     Friday, June 17th:     Bridge to Fusion  A night with world-renowned tango harmonica player Joe Powers and his trio, hosted by El Taller Latino America.

  Saturday, June 18th:    Bridge to Experience  Chicago-based jazz singer Erin McDougald and her combo, hosted by the NY Jazz Academy and opened with their Big Band.

    Sunday, June 19th:    Bridge to Restoration  A concert featuring Broadway star baritone Andre Solomon-Glover and friends, hosted by the Interfaith Assembly on Housing and Homelessness. 

All concerts will take place at West-Park Presbyterian Church, 165 West 86th Street (northeast corner of Amsterdam Avenue). Concerts begin at 7PM; doors open at 6:30PM. Advance tickets are $25 each ($30 at the door) and can be purchased at West-Park during business hours or online at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/browse.htm.  

Preserving West-Park:
Looking Back to Move Forward   

A 20-year community effort was thankfully rewarded on May 12, 2010, when the New York City Council affirmed the designation of the West-Park Presbyterian Church* as a NYC Individual Landmark (click here to read the designation report).  The victory kickstarted a new chapter in the life of West-Park. 

Here's just a snapshot at some of the recent activity of LW!, the West-Park congregants, our local elected officials, and preservation colleagues, including the New York Landmarks Conservancy, Friends of West-Park, and Preservation Alumni:  

• City Council Member Gale Brewer organized a fundraiser to collect starter funds for bricks-and-mortar restoration of West-Park.  The fund, managed by the New York Landmarks Conservancy, was recently put to work with roof repairs to West-Park's sanctuary and chapel.  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.  The plan will be completed this month, with a priority to facade work that will allow the removal of the sidewalk bridge at long last.  A significant step in the long process of West-Park's physical rejuvenation!
  
  The West-Park restoration fund remains open for contributions!  Checks can be made payable to "New York Landmarks Conservancy," with "WPPC" as the memo, and mailed to:
  
                   New York Landmarks Conservancy
                   1 Whitehall Street
                   New York, NY  10044



• Members of the West-Park congregation teamed with Preservation Alumni, the alumni organization for graduates of Columbia University's Historic Preservation Masters Program, LANDMARK WEST!, Friends of West-Park, and the generous team of Jack Pontes Brownstone Restorations for a day-long interior clean up of the church's sanctuary.  Dusting, vacuuming, buffing, scrubbing ... you name it!  Dozens of volunteers turned out to put their muscles to work for the preservation of West-Park.   


• LANDMARK WEST! worked with architects and an electrician to upgrade the church's wiring and emergency exit lighting to help make it possible for the congregation to open its doors for public events, such as a holiday craft fair in December and this week's Bridge Concert Series. 

Designation was only the beginning of what must continue to be a robust, sustained, community-wide effort.  Full restoration of West-Park Presbyterian Church will be a major undertaking, but we must begin with manageable goals.

 Attending one (or all!) of this week's Bridge Concert Series is a wonderful opportunity to see the changes that have already taken place at West-park for yourself!  Get your tickets, and we'll see you at the concerts!