Landmark ruling puts pressure on historic Ukranian Church

The church is asking the city to reverse its landmark decision

177 South Fifth Street
177 South Fifth Street

The Landmarks Preservation Commission’s decision to protect a historic Brooklyn church was applauded by some locals. But the church itself says it can’t foot the bill.

The Ukranian Church in Exile is asking a judge to overturn the LPC’s 2016 decision to landmark their building. They say the decision makes it impossibly expensive to maintain, according to the New York Post.

The Williamsburg Trust Company Bank building at 177 South Fifth Street has lived several lives. Built in 1906, is started its life as a bank. Later, it became a courthouse and eventually fell into disrepair. But then, the small church bought the building in 1961 and spent $2.5 million repairing the structure.

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The city called the building “one of Brooklyn’s most outstanding and monumental Neoclassical bank buildings,” in its landmark ruling. But the decision means that it might once again become neglected.

“It becomes cost prohibitive for them. They have lovingly maintained their building … they are now being penalized for having done this work,” lawyer Richard Lobel told the Post. [NYP]Christopher Cameron