Bay Ridge Prep Re-Purposes Union Church Parish House

On June 10, the Union Church, at 80th Street and Ridge Boulevard in Bay Ridge, sold its 80-year-old parish house to Bay Ridge Prep, which will re-purpose the building as a school.

Pastor Moira Ahearne, acknowledging that the church, like other local Protestant congregations, lacked the funds to maintain its building, said it had decided the best course was to let a compatible institution adapt and re-use the building, thereby avoiding demolition, which erased the beloved Bay Ridge United Methodist Church in 2008 and the Salam Arabic Lutheran Church in 2012.

Her congregation, Ahearne said, was comforted by the fact that the building would be re-purposed rather than demolished, and expects to partner with Bay Ridge Prep in community activities.

Local historic preservation advocate Victoria Hofmo called the sale a "wonderful solution" for both institutions:

"The congregation gets capital, the school gets a useful building, and the neighborhood preserves its built environment with a tasteful building.

Imagine, if the building were sold to a developer and demolished, what would have replaced it.

Consider that most of our churches have educational buildings, which are a perfect fit for schools, and are much more affordable than new construction."

The article from the Home Reporter.