Landmarked Churches Need Help

New York Real Estate Journal recently published an article authored by Olshan Real Estate partner Thomas Kearns entitled, “Landmarked Churches Need Help”. The article discusses how the recent hardship filing by the landmarked Park-West Church highlights the difficulties faced by landmarked churches. Although a few hardship applications have been granted, the most well-known hardship application, for St. Bart’s on Park Avenue in Manhattan, was denied. Kearns states that, "A denial of the Park-West hardship application will no doubt bring a court challenge". With the decision to deny the hardship application of  St. Bart’s as a recent example, New York courts may uphold a decision by The Landmarks Preservation Commission to deny the application. Kearns suggests that a similar mechanism to one adopted to help landmarked Broadway theaters could be created for landmarked churches, relieving the hardship that many landmark churches face.