Neighbors Plead For Mercy From Incoming UES Redeemer Church

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Upper East Siders pleaded this week for compassion from an incoming evangelical church they say refuses to preserve the air shaft that makes their homes habitable and safe.

At a Community Board 8 meeting Wednesday night, residents of the co-op at 160 East 91st St. shared concerns that the incoming Redeemer Presbyterian Church continues to reject proposed changes to building plans.

"We're hoping the community board can take a stance with our shareholders and appeal to the Redeemer," said Melanie Gersten. "We don't think we are being unreasonable."

Patch did not receive a response to questions sent to the church's lawyers by Friday afternoon.

Owners in the 125-unit building worry current plans for an 11-story "ministry center" on East 91st Street near Lexington Avenue won't accommodate a five-foot air shaft that brings in light and air and, in some units, maintains the homes' legality.

Gersten said she and fellow residents welcome the worship center but hope plans can include "a modest five-foot recess that would provide light and air" to the units facing the air shaft.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church's plans have been in the works since 2021 when it demolished a vacant six-story building that stood on the site.

Current plans reportedly have the church building occupying the entire lot, meaning the new church would stand only three feet away, at its widest point, from the building's narrow air shaft windows, according to the co-op's lawyer.

Several of the units on the shaft are studios with just one window that provides fire escape access.

It is not clear if the fire escape would still be granted egress to the ground with the church's plans, which could potentially threaten the unit's habitability, according to the co-op's lawyer.

Diane Forgione, the owner of one such apartment, said Wednesday her 284-square-foot studio apartment is her main source of equity for retirement and the escape is her only way out in a fire.

"I will be completely devoid of light I will have no ability to open my window and circulate my apartment with fresh air," Forgione said. "If I should ever need to use a fire escape in a fire there will be nowhere for the smoke to go and I will perish."

Forgione criticized the church for failing to take her situation into account.

"The well-being of the people residing here is not worth five feet of space to them," Forgione said.

The 3-foot-gap between buildings occur commonly on the Upper East Side when new buildings go up next to "Old Law" tenement buildings with poor access to light and air.

Tenement laws in place before 1901 only required a narrow air shaft on apartment buildings, which often took a distinctive "dumbbell" shape. The "New Law" tenement regulations changed the proportions to greatly increase the size of the air shafts.

Property records indicate 160 East 91st was built in 1906, but the building's design clearly follows the classic "Old Law" design of much smaller and narrower air shafts.

From a bird's eye perspective, the difference between an "old-law" building, like 160 East 91st, and its former neighbor at 150 East 91st, a "new-law" building, is clear.

The regulation helped improve light and air for residents in older buildings if a new one was constructed next door, where, as residents describe, a 15-foot air shaft existed for 100 years.

But because of changing planning rules and a grandfathered narrow air shaft, this new building threatens a return to the dark ages, residents testified.

Among them was Manny Gordon, whose apartment faces the shaft, and who made a plea based on a simple religious maxim.

"We just simply asked the church to love thy neighbor," Gordon said. "Love thy neighbor, and be somewhat compassionate."

Related coverage:

• New UES Church Will 'Destroy' People's Homes, Next-Door Landlord Says
• Eye-Catching UES Church Set To Rise On Residential Block: See It
• UES Building To Be Demolished Ahead Of Church Development
• Evangelical Church Seeks To Build 10-Story UES Ministry Center

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  Have an Upper East Side news tip? Contact reporter Peter Senzamici at peter.senzamici@patch.com.