Recent Changes for "Westminster Presbyterian Church" - Rochester Wiki

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2015-06-26T16:41:37Z

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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	+ The ["Young Urban Preservationists"] had been in the process of planning a pop-up event to convince neighbors of the church's value and to counteract a similar event put on by Maye, in which he even handed out t-shirts. +

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2015-06-26T16:39:47Z

updates

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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- Ultimately at the heart of the debate was the direction of progress in a neighborhood presently undergoing revival. For the past ten years the area had seen millions in public and private investments, including the ["Voter's Block Community"] project, the ["The Lofts at the Carriage Factory"], the ["Frederick Douglass Apartments"], the City's development of the [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589951966 Heritage Trail], and the efforts of urban pioneers who moved into and rehabilitated the area's many ["cool houses" vintage homes]. Maye's opponents claimed his plans posed a serious threat to their efforts to reinvigorate the West Main corridor as a center of Rochester history. The owners of the house next door at 644 West Main - built in the 1870s by a cousin of President Rutherford B. Hayes - announced that they will be forced to move if the Dollar General was built, citing problems they already face with the Zeb II Plaza Maye owns on the other side of their home: "We’ve found crack rocks in our driveway. We constantly find dime bags in our yard. We’ve even caught a prostitute on the church steps."[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] As of March 21, 2013, it would seem that the preservationist have won. At the Zoning Board hearing held that day, the state reversed itself and found the building is eligible for listing on the National Register, based not on architectural significance but on its status as one of only four surviving buildings associated with Rochester's German-American community.[[Footnote([http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130321/NEWS01/303210054/West-Main-Street-church-may-historic-after-all West Main church may be historic after all] - ''Democrat & Chronicle'' (2013-03-21))]] What will happen with Westminster Presbyterian Church now remains to be seen.	+ Ultimately at the heart of the debate was the direction of progress in a neighborhood presently undergoing revival. For the past ten years the area had seen millions in public and private investments, including the ["Voter's Block Community"] project, the ["The Lofts at the Carriage Factory"], the ["Frederick Douglass Apartments"], the City's development of the [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589951966 Heritage Trail], and the efforts of urban pioneers who moved into and rehabilitated the area's many ["cool houses" vintage homes]. Maye's opponents claimed his plans posed a serious threat to their efforts to reinvigorate the West Main corridor as a center of Rochester history. The owners of the house next door at 644 West Main - built in the 1870s by a cousin of President Rutherford B. Hayes - announced that they will be forced to move if the Dollar General was built, citing problems they already face with the Zeb II Plaza Maye owns on the other side of their home: "We’ve found crack rocks in our driveway. We constantly find dime bags in our yard. We’ve even caught a prostitute on the church steps."[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] As of March 21, 2013, it would seem that the preservationist have won. At the Zoning Board hearing held that day, the state reversed itself and found the building is eligible for listing on the National Register, based not on architectural significance but on its status as one of only four surviving buildings associated with Rochester's German-American community.[[Footnote([http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130321/NEWS01/303210054/West-Main-Street-church-may-historic-after-all West Main church may be historic after all] - ''Democrat & Chronicle'' (2013-03-21))]] + + The victory was short-lived, however, as the city's Zoning Board of Appeals ruled that the former church could be torn down in August ["2014"] on the condition that Maye build a grocery store in place, rather than a Dollar General. The owner of the house next door subsequently put her home on the market. Still, preservationists and the neighborhood association vowed to fight. + + ===Fire=== + A three-alarm blaze was reported at the church at 1:00AM on Friday, June, 26, ["2015"]. It began in back add-on and spread quickly to the sanctuary. 65 firefighters were called to the scene, with one taken to ["Strong Memorial Hospital"] for heat exhaustion. [[Footnote([http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2015/06/26/church-fire-rochester/29319857/ Historic church at center of Dollar General fight burns] - ''Democrat & Chronicle'' (2015-06-26))]] Maye's opponents were quick to call the fire suspicious. What happens next remains to be seen.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

LtPowers — 2015-06-26T15:02:55Z

destroyed in a fire

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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- '''Westminster Presbyterian Church''' is an ["noteworthy buildings" historical] ["spiritual organizations" church] building in ["Bull's Head"], right over the border from the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood"]. From ["2012"]-["2013" 13] its proposed demolition and replacement with a ["Dollar General"] was the subject of heated controversy between property owner Marvin Mayes and a preservationist coalition led by the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association"].	+ '''Westminster Presbyterian Church''' was an ["noteworthy buildings" historic] ["spiritual organizations" church] building in ["Bull's Head"], right over the border from the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood"]. From ["2012"]-["2013" 13] its proposed demolition and replacement with a ["Dollar General"] was the subject of heated controversy between property owner Marvin Mayes and a preservationist coalition led by the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association"]. It was destroyed in a suspicious fire on June 26, 2015.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-11-30T21:39:31Z

MLK Plaza

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- Reaction from neighbors was swift. It was pointed out that there were already numerous dollar stores within a 5-mile radius around the church, including a ["Family Dollar"] only 0.3 miles away. Others called attention to the back taxes owed by Maye to the City and alleged that he had a bad history of neglecting his properties. Maye's buildings, it was said, are marred by trash and peeling paint and are magnets for loiterers and drug dealers.[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] The ["Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood Association"] stated that they had tried to work with Maye to clean up his MLK Plaza on ["South Plymouth Avenue" South Plymouth] but he never kept his appointments to meet with them.[[Footnote(This was stated in a comment by the PLEXNA president Dorothy Hall on the [http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church petition] to save the church. She was also present at the November hearing to oppose its demolition.)]]	+ Reaction from neighbors was swift. It was pointed out that there were already numerous dollar stores within a 5-mile radius around the church, including a ["Family Dollar"] only 0.3 miles away. Others called attention to the back taxes owed by Maye to the City and alleged that he had a bad history of neglecting his properties. Maye's buildings, it was said, are marred by trash and peeling paint and are magnets for loiterers and drug dealers.[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] The ["Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood Association"] stated that they had tried to work with Maye to clean up his ["MLK Plaza"] on ["South Plymouth Avenue" South Plymouth] but he never kept his appointments to meet with them.[[Footnote(This was stated in a comment by the PLEXNA president Dorothy Hall on the [http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church petition] to save the church. She was also present at the November hearing to oppose its demolition.)]]

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-08-13T19:18:59Z

Bull's Head, not UNIT

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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- '''Westminster Presbyterian Church''' is an ["noteworthy buildings" historical] ["spiritual organizations" church] building in the ["U.N.I.T. Neighborhood"], right over the border from the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood"]. From ["2012"]-["2013" 13] its proposed demolition and replacement with a ["Dollar General"] was the subject of heated controversy between property owner Marvin Mayes and a preservationist coalition led by the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association"].	+ '''Westminster Presbyterian Church''' is an ["noteworthy buildings" historical] ["spiritual organizations" church] building in ["Bull's Head"], right over the border from the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood"]. From ["2012"]-["2013" 13] its proposed demolition and replacement with a ["Dollar General"] was the subject of heated controversy between property owner Marvin Mayes and a preservationist coalition led by the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association"].

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-27T23:58:59Z

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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- The congregation left in ["1915"] to build a bigger church. The Westminster building remained in German-American hands, however, as the home of the Leiderkanz Club until 1974.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] They added a small cinder block room to the back in the 1940s. The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. Though vacant, it was zoned as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.	+ The congregation left in ["1915"] to build a bigger church. The Westminster building remained in German-American hands, however, as the home of the Leiderkanz Club until 1974.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] They added a cinder block room to the back in the 1940s. The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. Though vacant, it was zoned as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.
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- Reaction from neighbors was swift. It was pointed out that there were already numerous dollar stores within a 5-mile radius around the church, including a ["Family Dollar"] only 0.3 miles away. Others called attention to the extensive back taxes owed by Maye to the City and alleged that he had a bad history of neglecting his properties. Maye's buildings, it was said, are marred by trash and peeling paint and are magnets for loiterers and drug dealers.[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] The ["Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood Association"] stated that they had tried to work with Maye to clean up his MLK Plaza on ["South Plymouth Avenue" South Plymouth] but he never kept his appointments to meet with them.[[Footnote(This was stated in a comment by the PLEXNA president Dorothy Hall on the [http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church petition] to save the church. She was also present at the November hearing to oppose its demolition.)]]	+ Reaction from neighbors was swift. It was pointed out that there were already numerous dollar stores within a 5-mile radius around the church, including a ["Family Dollar"] only 0.3 miles away. Others called attention to the back taxes owed by Maye to the City and alleged that he had a bad history of neglecting his properties. Maye's buildings, it was said, are marred by trash and peeling paint and are magnets for loiterers and drug dealers.[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] The ["Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood Association"] stated that they had tried to work with Maye to clean up his MLK Plaza on ["South Plymouth Avenue" South Plymouth] but he never kept his appointments to meet with them.[[Footnote(This was stated in a comment by the PLEXNA president Dorothy Hall on the [http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church petition] to save the church. She was also present at the November hearing to oppose its demolition.)]]
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- \|\|[[Image(postcard.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Vintage postcard showing Westminster in the early 1900s.")]]\|\|[[Image(bwphoto.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Another vintage view of Westminster.")]]\|\|	+ \|\|[[Image(postcard.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Vintage postcard showing Westminster in the early 1900s.")]]\|\|[[Image(bwphoto.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Another vintage view of Westminster.")]]\|\|[[Image(Back.JPG, left, thumbnail, 300, noborder, "View of the back. (Nov. 2012)")]]\|\|

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-27T23:57:14Z

Upload of image Back.JPG.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-27T23:54:48Z

more info

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- The current structure is the second home of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, the original having been built in 1859. From the petition created by a nearby resident presenting herself as ["Susan B. Anthony"]:	+ Westminster Presbyterian Church was originally built as a one-room chapel in 1859. Like most churches of its day - especially those founded by immigrants and other groups lacking financial resources - it started out as a small space and gradually expanded. In ["1870"] the congregation constructed a large addition.[[Footnote(From an email correspondence with "Susan B. Anthony.")]] According to a nearby resident, writing in character as ["Susan B. Anthony"]:
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- The congregation expanded and eventually left in ["1915"] to build a new church. Until 1974 the building served as the Leiderkranz Club, where German immigrants and their descendants socialized and played games.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. Though vacant, it was zoned as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.	+ The congregation left in ["1915"] to build a bigger church. The Westminster building remained in German-American hands, however, as the home of the Leiderkanz Club until 1974.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] They added a small cinder block room to the back in the 1940s. The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. Though vacant, it was zoned as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.
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- Reaction from neighbors was swift. It was pointed out that there were already numerous dollar stores within a 5-mile radius around the church, including a ["Family Dollar"] only 0.3 miles away. Others called attention to the $20,000+ in back taxes owed by Maye to the City and alleged that he had a bad history of neglecting his properties. Maye's buildings, it was said, are marred by trash and peeling paint and are magnets for loiterers and drug dealers.[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] The ["Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood Association"] stated that they had tried to work with Maye to clean up his MLK Plaza on ["South Plymouth Avenue" South Plymouth] but he never kept his appointments to meet with them.[[Footnote(This was stated in a comment by the PLEXNA president Dorothy Hall on the [http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church petition] to save the church. She was also present at the November hearing to oppose its demolition.)]]	+ Reaction from neighbors was swift. It was pointed out that there were already numerous dollar stores within a 5-mile radius around the church, including a ["Family Dollar"] only 0.3 miles away. Others called attention to the extensive back taxes owed by Maye to the City and alleged that he had a bad history of neglecting his properties. Maye's buildings, it was said, are marred by trash and peeling paint and are magnets for loiterers and drug dealers.[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] The ["Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood Association"] stated that they had tried to work with Maye to clean up his MLK Plaza on ["South Plymouth Avenue" South Plymouth] but he never kept his appointments to meet with them.[[Footnote(This was stated in a comment by the PLEXNA president Dorothy Hall on the [http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church petition] to save the church. She was also present at the November hearing to oppose its demolition.)]]
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- Walker, on the other hand, argued that "not one preservationist stepped forward" with an alternative use for the church, and that he himself had been interested in turning it into a jazz club until learning that the costs of conversion were too steep. He claimed that a Dollar General would provide much-needed retail and fresh food for the primarily low-income neighborhood.[[Footnote([http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2013/03/dollar-store-developer-says-not-one-preservationist-stepped-forward Rochester Subway])]]	+ Walker, on the other hand, argued that "not one preservationist stepped forward" with an alternative use for the church, and that he himself had been interested in turning it into a jazz club until learning of the steep costs of conversion. He claimed that a Dollar General would provide much-needed retail and fresh food for the primarily low-income neighborhood.[[Footnote([http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2013/03/dollar-store-developer-says-not-one-preservationist-stepped-forward Rochester Subway])]]
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- \|\|[[Image(postcard.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Vintage postcard showing Westminster in the early 1900s.")]]\|\|[[Image(bwphoto.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Westminster c. 1920")]]\|\|	+ \|\|[[Image(postcard.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Vintage postcard showing Westminster in the early 1900s.")]]\|\|[[Image(bwphoto.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Another vintage view of Westminster.")]]\|\|

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-27T23:40:09Z

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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	+ \|\|[[Image(postcard.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Vintage postcard showing Westminster in the early 1900s.")]]\|\|[[Image(bwphoto.jpg, left, thumbnail, 300,noborder, "Westminster c. 1920")]]\|\| +

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-27T23:39:44Z

Upload of image bwphoto.jpg.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-27T23:38:23Z

Upload of image postcard.jpg.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

peteb — 2013-03-25T01:55:32Z

linked year

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Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-25T00:22:17Z

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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- From the petition created by a nearby resident presenting herself as ["Susan B. Anthony"]:	+ The current structure is the second home of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, the original having been built in 1859. From the petition created by a nearby resident presenting herself as ["Susan B. Anthony"]:

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-25T00:20:33Z

(quick edit)

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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- Ultimately at the heart of the debate was the direction of progress in a neighborhood presently undergoing revival. For the past ten years the area had seen millions in public and private investments, including the ["Voter's Block Community"] project, the ["The Lofts at the Carriage Factory"], the ["Frederick Douglass Apartments"], the City's development of the [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589951966 Heritage Trail], and the efforts of urban pioneers who moved into and rehabilitated the area's many ["cool houses" vintage homes]. Maye's opponents claimed his plans posed a serious threat to their efforts to reinvigorate the West Main corridor as a center of Rochester history. The owners of the house next door at 664 West Main - built in the 1870s by a cousin of President Rutherford B. Hayes - announced that they will be forced to move if the Dollar General was built, citing problems they already face with the Zeb II Plaza Maye owns on the other side of their home: "We’ve found crack rocks in our driveway. We constantly find dime bags in our yard. We’ve even caught a prostitute on the church steps."[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] As of March 21, 2013, it would seem that the preservationist have won. At the Zoning Board hearing held that day, the state reversed itself and found the building is eligible for listing on the National Register, based not on architectural significance but on its status as one of only four surviving buildings associated with Rochester's German-American community.[[Footnote([http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130321/NEWS01/303210054/West-Main-Street-church-may-historic-after-all West Main church may be historic after all] - ''Democrat & Chronicle'' (2013-03-21))]] What will happen with Westminster Presbyterian Church now remains to be seen.	+ Ultimately at the heart of the debate was the direction of progress in a neighborhood presently undergoing revival. For the past ten years the area had seen millions in public and private investments, including the ["Voter's Block Community"] project, the ["The Lofts at the Carriage Factory"], the ["Frederick Douglass Apartments"], the City's development of the [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589951966 Heritage Trail], and the efforts of urban pioneers who moved into and rehabilitated the area's many ["cool houses" vintage homes]. Maye's opponents claimed his plans posed a serious threat to their efforts to reinvigorate the West Main corridor as a center of Rochester history. The owners of the house next door at 644 West Main - built in the 1870s by a cousin of President Rutherford B. Hayes - announced that they will be forced to move if the Dollar General was built, citing problems they already face with the Zeb II Plaza Maye owns on the other side of their home: "We’ve found crack rocks in our driveway. We constantly find dime bags in our yard. We’ve even caught a prostitute on the church steps."[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] As of March 21, 2013, it would seem that the preservationist have won. At the Zoning Board hearing held that day, the state reversed itself and found the building is eligible for listing on the National Register, based not on architectural significance but on its status as one of only four surviving buildings associated with Rochester's German-American community.[[Footnote([http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130321/NEWS01/303210054/West-Main-Street-church-may-historic-after-all West Main church may be historic after all] - ''Democrat & Chronicle'' (2013-03-21))]] What will happen with Westminster Presbyterian Church now remains to be seen.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-25T00:14:20Z

links

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- ''Built in 1859 (during my lifetime) the church was a bustling chapel that helped German immigrants make Rochester home. With the help of the church the German community grew and thrived. Together they built Bausch and Lomb, the Genesee Brewing Company, the plant nurseries that dotted our growing city and much much more. They're even responsible for our nickname - the ["flower city"]. It was so great to see these men and women embrace the opportunity that America represents.''[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church Change.org petition])]]	+ ''Built in 1859 (during my lifetime) the church was a bustling chapel that helped German immigrants make Rochester home. With the help of the church the German community grew and thrived. Together they built ["Bausch and Lomb"], the ["Genesee Brewing Company"], the plant nurseries that dotted our growing city and much much more. They're even responsible for our nickname - the ["flower city"]. It was so great to see these men and women embrace the opportunity that America represents.''[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church Change.org petition])]]

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-25T00:07:47Z

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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- The congregation expanded and eventually left in ["1915"] to build a new church. Until 1974 the building served as the Leiderkranz Club, where German immigrants and their descendants socialized and played games.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. It was purchased by Marvin Maye around ["2008"]. Though vacant, it was zoned as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.	+ The congregation expanded and eventually left in ["1915"] to build a new church. Until 1974 the building served as the Leiderkranz Club, where German immigrants and their descendants socialized and played games.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. Though vacant, it was zoned as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-25T00:07:02Z

(quick edit)

Differences for Westminster Presbyterian Church

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- The congregation expanded and eventually left in ["1915"] to build a new church. Until 1974 the building served as the Leiderkranz Club, where German immigrants and their descendants socialized and played games.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. It was purchased by Marvin Maye around ["2008"]. Though vacant, it was listed in the Rochester codes as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.	+ The congregation expanded and eventually left in ["1915"] to build a new church. Until 1974 the building served as the Leiderkranz Club, where German immigrants and their descendants socialized and played games.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. It was purchased by Marvin Maye around ["2008"]. Though vacant, it was zoned as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-25T00:03:03Z

(quick edit)

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Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-25T00:02:00Z

(quick edit)

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- The congregation expanded and eventually left in ["1915"] to build a new church. The building then became the Leiderkranz Club for German immigrants socialized and played games.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] The old church served various other purposes before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. It was purchased by Marvin Maye around ["2008"]. Though vacant, it was listed in the Rochester codes as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.	+ The congregation expanded and eventually left in ["1915"] to build a new church. Until 1974 the building served as the Leiderkranz Club, where German immigrants and their descendants socialized and played games.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] The old church served several other congregations before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. It was purchased by Marvin Maye around ["2008"]. Though vacant, it was listed in the Rochester codes as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-25T00:00:12Z

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	+ ===Photo Album=== + + \|\|[[Image(Page.JPG, left, thumbnail, 300, noborder, "Display at an event to save Westminster Presbyterian Church, held in November 2012.")]]\|\|[[Image(Page2.JPG, left, thumbnail, 300, noborder, "Another display.")]]\|\|[[Image(Hayes.JPG, left, thumbnail, 300, noborder, "The house next door.")]]\|\| +

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-24T23:59:05Z

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Westminster Presbyterian Church

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Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-24T23:55:56Z

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Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-24T23:53:19Z

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Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-24T23:52:36Z

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Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-24T23:49:58Z

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	+ \|\|<class="tablehead">'''Location'''\|\| + \|\|[[Address("660 ["West Main Street"], Rochester, NY 14611")]]\|\| + ##\|\|<class="tablehead">'''Occupant(s)'''\|\| + ##\|\|Commercial/Residential or both?\|\| + ##Is it Commercial/Business or Residential? Please choose Commercial Or Residential above + \|\|<class="tablehead">'''Wheelchair Accessible?'''\|\| + \|\|No\|\| + \|\|<class="tablehead">'''Property Owner'''\|\| + \|\|Marvin Mayes\|\| + \|\|<class="tablehead">'''Construction'''\|\| + \|\|c. 1859\|\| + + '''Westminster Presbyterian Church''' is an ["noteworthy buildings" historical] ["spiritual organizations" church] building in the ["U.N.I.T. Neighborhood"], right over the border from the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood"]. From ["2012"]-["2013" 13] its proposed demolition and replacement with a ["Dollar General"] was the subject of heated controversy between property owner Marvin Mayes and a preservationist coalition led by the ["Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association"]. + + ===History=== + + From the petition created by a nearby resident presenting herself as ["Susan B. Anthony"]: + + ''Built in 1859 (during my lifetime) the church was a bustling chapel that helped German immigrants make Rochester home. With the help of the church the German community grew and thrived. Together they built Bausch and Lomb, the Genesee Brewing Company, the plant nurseries that dotted our growing city and much much more. They're even responsible for our nickname - the ["flower city"]. It was so great to see these men and women embrace the opportunity that America represents.''[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church Change.org petition])]] + + The congregation expanded and eventually left in ["1915"] to build a new church. The building then became the Leiderkranz Club for German immigrants socialized and played games.[[Footnote([http://historicbuildingarchives.com/listings/westminster-presbyterian-church/ HistoricBuildingsArchives.com])]] The old church served various other purposes before being abandoned for good in the late 2000s. It was purchased by Marvin Maye around ["2008"]. Though vacant, it was listed in the Rochester codes as a [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589947612 Designated Building of Historic Value] eligible for listing in the State or National Registers of Historic Places. + + ===Controversy=== + + Marvin Maye, owner of many commercial properties around the City of Rochester, purchased Westminster Presbyterian Church at auction c. 2011. Working with local developer Craig Walker, he petitioned the Zoning Board to remove the church's historic designation so that he could demolish it and lease the land to ["Dollar General"]. + + Reaction from neighbors was swift. It was pointed out that there were already numerous dollar stores within a 5-mile radius around the church, including a ["Family Dollar"] only 0.3 miles away. Others called attention to the $20,000+ in back taxes owed by Maye to the City and alleged that he had a bad history of neglecting his properties. Maye's buildings, it was said, are marred by trash and peeling paint and are magnets for loiterers and drug dealers.[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] The ["Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood Association"] stated that they had tried to work with Maye to clean up his MLK Plaza on ["South Plymouth Avenue" South Plymouth] but he never kept his appointments to meet with them.[[Footnote(This was stated in a comment by the PLEXNA president Dorothy Hall on the [http://www.change.org/petitions/help-susan-b-anthony-save-westminster-presbyterian-church petition] to save the church. She was also present at the November hearing to oppose its demolition.)]] + + Walker, on the other hand, argued that "not one preservationist stepped forward" with an alternative use for the church, and that he himself had been interested in turning it into a jazz club until learning that the costs of conversion were too steep. He claimed that a Dollar General would provide much-needed retail and fresh food for the primarily low-income neighborhood.[[Footnote([http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2013/03/dollar-store-developer-says-not-one-preservationist-stepped-forward Rochester Subway])]] + + ["Bread & Water Theatre"] actually did express an interest in making Westminster their headquarters, observing that the ["Northwest Quadrant"] lack cultural organizations while the ["Southeast Quadrant" Southeast] is saturated, making it difficult for them to stand out.[[Footnote(According to a conversation this editor had with a member of Bread & Water Theatre at the Metro Justice Alternative Craft Fair in December 2012)]] + + Ultimately at the heart of the debate was the direction of progress in a neighborhood presently undergoing revival. For the past ten years the area had seen millions in public and private investments, including the ["Voter's Block Community"] project, the ["The Lofts at the Carriage Factory"], the ["Frederick Douglass Apartments"], the City's development of the [http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589951966 Heritage Trail], and the efforts of urban pioneers who moved into and rehabilitated the area's many ["cool houses" vintage homes]. Maye's opponents claimed his plans posed a serious threat to their efforts to reinvigorate the West Main corridor as a center of Rochester history. The owners of the house next door at 664 West Main - built in the 1870s by a cousin of President Rutherford B. Hayes - announced that they will be forced to move if the Dollar General was built, citing problems they already face with the Zeb II Plaza Maye owns on the other side of their home: "We’ve found crack rocks in our driveway. We constantly find dime bags in our yard. We’ve even caught a prostitute on the church steps."[[Footnote([http://www.change.org/petitions/the-zoning-board-city-of-rochester-ny-deny-the-request-to-demolish-the-church-at-660-w-main-st Change.org petition] - "Save the Gilmore House")]] As of March 21, 2013, it would seem that the preservationist have won. At the Zoning Board hearing held that day, the state reversed itself and found the building is eligible for listing on the National Register, based not on architectural significance but on its status as one of only four surviving buildings associated with Rochester's German-American community.[[Footnote([http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130321/NEWS01/303210054/West-Main-Street-church-may-historic-after-all West Main church may be historic after all] - ''Democrat & Chronicle'' (2013-03-21))]] What will happen with Westminster Presbyterian Church now remains to be seen. + + ===References=== + + ''In chronological order'' + + * [http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2012/06/preservation-v-progress-rematch-on-main-street-rochester/ Preservation v. Progress: Rematch on Main Street] - ["Rochester Subway"] (2012-06-25) + * [http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/Neighbors-Oppose-Historic-Church-Demolition/ZMt7cSgBGUebsshWRDS3SQ.cspx Neighbors Oppose Historic Church Demolition] - ["WHAM 1180"] (2012-07-18) + * [http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2012/07/susan-b-anthony-neighbors-unite-to-save-main-street-church/ Susan B. Anthony Neighbors Unite to Save Old Church] - Rochester Subway (2012-07-18) + * [http://roccitynews.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/neighborhoods-the-almighty-dollar/ Neighborhoods: The Almighty Dollar] - ''["City Newspaper"]'' (2012-08-08) + * [http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2012/09/battle-over-main-street-church-heats-up/ Battle Over Main Street Church Heating Up] - Rochester Subway (2012-09-15) + * [http://therochesterian.com/2012/10/03/dollar-store-fight/ Dollar Store Fight] - ["The Rochesterian"] (2012-10-03) + * [http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2012/11/susan-b-anthony-asks-for-your-help-to-save-church/ Susan B. Anthony Asks for Your Help to Save Church] - Rochester Subway (2012-11-01) + * [http://rustwire.com/2012/11/05/famous-dead-rochesterian-riled-up-about-planned-church-demolition/ Famous (Dead) Rochesterian Riled Up About Planned Church Demolition] - Rustwire.com (2012-11-05) + * [http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/Packed-Hearing-on-Church-Demolition/HXTmD_moTkCwysEpHTNZlQ.cspx Packed Hearing on Church Demolition] - WHAM (2012-11-29) + * [http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S2849592.shtml?cat=566 Should abandoned church be torn down to build Dollar General store?] - ["WHEC TV-10"] (2012-11-29) + * [http://rochesterhomepage.net/fulltext%3Fnxd_id%3D339012?nxd_id=356792 To Demolish or Not: Historic Main Street Church] - RochesterHomepage.net (2012-11-30) + * [http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/report-church-can-be-saved/Content?oid=2199610 Report: West Main Church Can Be Saved] - ''City Newspaper'' (2013-03-13) + * [http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2013/03/main-street-church-and-college-town-on-agenda-for-zoning-board/ Judgment Day for an Old Church and an Unbuilt "College Town"] - Rochester Subway (2013-03-17) + * [http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2013/03/dollar-store-developer-says-not-one-preservationist-stepped-forward/ Dollar Store Developer: "Not One Preservationist Stepped Forward"] - Rochester Subway (2013-03-20) + + + [[comments]]

Westminster Presbyterian Church

EileenF — 2013-03-24T23:49:58Z

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