Church Grants CU Option to Develop Land

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine has resurrected plans to lease out a portion of its 11.3 acre property—known as the Close—for private development.

On May 19, the cathedral released a statement announcing that Columbia University and AvalonBay Communities Inc., a publicly traded real estate investment trust, had reached separate preliminary agreements with them regarding development on the Close’s northern and southeast edge respectively.

A mass e-mail sent Tuesday by Columbia University President Lee Bollinger mentioned an agreement with the church granting Columbia “an option to develop a parcel of undeveloped land on the north side of the Cathedral on 113th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Drive.” A statement released by the cathedral on the same day confirmed that the agreement was for a minimum of three and a half years and could be extended by another four and a half.

It is unclear what Columbia will do with its allocated 55,000 square feet of land. “At this time, we have not designated what part of the University might use that site. Columbia is committed to appropriate development, if we choose to exercise that option,” said Liz Golden, a Columbia spokeswoman.

According to the May 19 statement released by the cathedral, any buildings “will be set back from Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Drive so as not to obstruct views of the cathedral,” and building height will be restricted.

The statement also referred to exclusive negotiations between the cathedral and AvalonBay over plans for a “residential rental property on a parcel of underutilized land on the southeast corner of the Close at 110th Street and Morningside Drive.”

These negotiations are expected to last until October, when both parties hope a lease for the 40,000 square foot open space will be finalized.

The announcement of the agreements reignited a debate that began in 2000 when the Episcopal cathedral’s board of trustees decided to raise money by leasing land to developers. The cathedral has faced budget problems since the early 1990s, when construction of the cathedral’s South Tower had to be halted at 50 feet. By 2002, St. John the Divine’s yearly deficits had climbed into the six figure range. Declining attendance at services, a damaging 2001 fire around Christmas, and the customary wear and tear of aging helped contribute to an $800,000 deficit and 17 layoffs in 2004.

Herb Katz, communications director for the cathedral, noted that in the last two years, the cathedral has held more than 40 meetings with community groups and local politicians to discuss its development plans.

Despite the frequent meetings, some community members have serious concerns. Carolyn Kent, a co-founder of the Morningside Heights Historic District Committee, which opposes the cathedral’s development, complained that any Columbia construction would “intrude on sacred ground” for the sake of self-preservation, and would destroy the architectural integrity of North America’s largest Gothic cathedral by obstructing views of its structure. She also predicted that the AvalonBay rental units could help foment a further influx of unaffordable housing and would run against the New York Episcopal church’s community-oriented tradition of subsidizing housing for the poor.

“To think of high income people brushing their teeth down on the head of the Archangel Gabriel,” she said, “it makes one wonder what has happened to the values of the Episcopalian church.”

She also dismissed the cathedral’s claims that the fiscal crises of the past few years made development necessary. “There is an increasing national commitment to the architectural and cultural heritage of America,” she said. “There is going to be, I’m sure, trust funds and increasing availability of state funds for maintaining great religious sites.”

Kent said that a nationwide fundraising drive could raise the necessary money.

Katz was nonplussed by Kent’s suggestions and pointed to the years of deficits and the recent layoffs. “We have a fiscal problem at the cathedral, and we’ve been very open,” he said. In January of 2004, the cathedral stated that private development could bring $250-300 million to the Cathedral and the local community.

In response to the announced deals, the Morningside Heights Historic District Committee has written the New York Land Planning Commission and Most Reverend Frank Tracy Grisowld III, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, to air their complaints.

Kent also said that Bollinger had sent the committee a letter in 2003 indicating he would meet with them, as previous President George Rupp and Executive Vice President Emily Lloyd had done in the past.

“This is going to be pushed hard. If he will not see the committee that worked so hard with the previous administration,” Kent said. “There will be a rude awakening.”