Park Avenue residents angry about church catering hall

Park Avenue residents are in an ongoing battle with the Christian Science church at 583 Park Avenue, which is being leased by catering company Rose Group. Residents say they are trying to preserve the character of the neighborhood, which is not zoned for commercial activity, and complain about traffic and noise the events bring. In 2006, the church was having trouble with a dwindling congregation and few resources, so it applied to the city for a waiver to lease its space for an “accessory use.” The church gets 10 percent of the catering hall’s revenue, about $250,000 a year. The neighbors’ lawyer said the catering company misled the residents and city zoning officials about its intentions, that the operation violates numerous city ordinances, and that catering, not churchgoing, has become the primary use of the building.