Harlem church building in disrepair

For the first time in its 110-year history, the doors of Harlem’s Baptist Temple Church on 116th and Lenox have been bolted shut, as cracks in the façade recently forced city officials to mandate that the property be vacated and gated off for safety reasons.

According to New York Department of Buildings spokeswoman Carly Sullivan, two inspectors reported hazardous cracks in the façade and structural insecurities in the roof after visiting the site on Sept. 15. As a result, the church was issued a violation notice.

Under the direction of the Department of Buildings, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development partially removed the façade and lowered it to a safe level to prevent an anticipated collapse, Sullivan said. Fifteen square feet were removed from the roof, and the scaffolding remains intact to shield pedestrians in case a collapse does occur.

But for some local residents, the loss is more than just brick and mortar.

“The church did not collapse. It was taken down brick-by-brick,” the church’s reverend, Shepherd Lee, said of his frustration.

Lee explained that the façade first started to show signs of cracking four years ago when construction began on the neighboring Kalahari condominium buildings, which now surround the church on both sides. At the time, the church entered into negotiation with the building company contracted to build the Kalahari. After a failure to settle the dispute out of court, Lee said, the church entered into litigation with the contracting company. This litigation, he said, has yet to be resolved.

Carlton Brown, Chief Operating Officer of Full Spectrum of New York—the developer behind the Kalahari—said that he had no knowledge of any litigation involving the Baptist Temple Church. First Avenue Builders, the contracted company on site, did not return repeated calls.

The reverend and city officials confirmed that the church no longer imposes a safety hazard for the local community. But with the gates blocking off this 110-year old structure, many locals expressed concern over the uncertainty of what could happen next at this historic site.

According to Lee, the church currently does not have sufficient funds to renovate and rebuild the structure and is attempting to reach out to the community for help. “The bottom line is, we need $160,000,” said Lee, who attributed this financial hardship in part to the legal fees they have paid in pursuit of litigation against the builders of the Kalahari. “It’s been a struggle,” he added.

Regardless, he said he is committed to seeing the church rebuilt and not sold to a developer. This will require work and outreach Lee noted, adding, “We’re accepting donations.”

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