Bay Ridge’s so-called “Faith Avenue” is losing its religion.
Leader of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church say that by this fall they may choose a developer to demolish their 80-year-old house of worship to make room for private residences atop a smaller ground-floor house of worship, joining a number of Fourth Avenue religious institutions that are downsizing to generate cash for struggling congregations.
Rev. Craig Miller, pastor at Our Saviour’s, says that even with the help of the church’s popular pre-school, his dwindling congregation of about 40 cannot afford the $100,000 annual upkeep on the 80th Street church, not to mention the $300,000 of work that has been put off because of funding woes.
Miller and his congregation are considering leveling their church and building a ground-floor “storefront” topped by condos that would provide the necessary cash to keep the house of worship alive — a plan that dwindling Fourth Avenue congregations of all denominations are embracing.
The Bay Ridge Jewish Center — which is next door to Our Saviour’s — voted almost unanimously last week to tear down an old synagogue that can fit 600 worshippers for a smaller temple for its 100 congregants. The remaining land would be sold to a developer.
Minus the controversy and the protestors, Our Saviour’s plight is no different than that of the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church — dubbed the “Green Church” for its verdant stonework — where the congregation wants demolish the 108-year-old building to make room for a smaller church and condos.
Our Saviour’s has not yet decided whether it will demolish its church, but Miller is optimistic about the potential development of land owned by Bay Ridge churches.
“My hope is that in freeing ourselves from the burden of these buildings we’d be able to focus on ministry,” he said.
While neighborhood preservationists curse the proposed demolitions, real-estate experts say that churches and condo developers are a match made in heaven.
“When these properties go on sale, it’s a payday for the seller and the buyers,” said Bay Ridge realtor Tom McGuire.
