East Village church does not want landmark status

The Community Board 3 landmarks committee has decided to move forward with efforts to landmark the Russian Orthodox Cathedral at 59 East 2nd Street, even though parish council members told the board it does not want the 118-year-old building to be landmarked. The parish believes landmark status standards would make building repairs difficult and expensive. The parish had agreed with a developer last year to build an eight-story residential addition on top of the church, which is between First and Second avenues, to raise funds, but the project fell through when the area was rezoned. The Landmarks Preservation Commission and the church signed a standstill agreement in which the church will not alter the building and the commission will not schedule hearings about the landmark proposal, but the agreement expires in April.