First Church of Christ, Scientist | |
New York City Landmark
No. LP-0833
| |
Location | 1 West 96th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States |
---|---|
Coordinates | 40°47′31.2″N 73°57′53.64″W / 40.792000°N 73.9649000°W |
Built | 1903 |
Architect | Carrère and Hastings |
Architectural style | English Baroque, French Beaux-Arts |
Part of | Central Park West Historic District ( ID82001189 [1]) |
NYCL No. | LP-0833 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | November 9, 1982 [1] |
Designated NYCL | July 23, 1974 [2] |
The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Manhattan is a 1903 building located at Central Park West and 96th Street in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City. The building is a designated New York City landmark. [3]
The building, designed by Carrère & Hastings, was completed in 1903, is described by New York Times architectural historian Christopher Gray as "one of the city's most sumptuous churches." [4] The style reminiscent of the churches of Nicholas Hawksmoor, a combination of English Baroque and French Beaux-Arts detailing. The building featured stained-glass windows by John LaFarge. The window over the front door was named "Touch Me Not" and was based on John 20:17, depicting Jesus' encounter with Mary Magdalene outside the tomb. [5]
It featured mosaics, gold-plated chandeliers, marble floors, curved pews made of Circassian walnut, and elevators called "moving rooms" because they were large enough to hold 20 people. [4] [5]
The church was designated a New York City landmark in 1974, and is a contributing property to the federally designated Central Park West Historic District. [6] [7] [8] [9]
In 2004 the building was sold to the Crenshaw Christian Center and the Christian Science congregation merged with the congregation of the Second Church of Christ, Scientist. [4] [10] [5]
In June 2014, after almost ten years in the building, the Crenshaw Christian Center sold the building to 361 Central Park L.L.C. for $26 million. The new owner planned to convert the 47,000-square-foot structure to condominiums. [5] However, the condominium plan was rejected by the zoning appears board. In January 2018 the Children's Museum of Manhattan announced that it had acquired the building. [11] In June 2020 the renovation plan was approved by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. [12]
The congregation was organized in 1886 by Augusta Emma Stetson. The congregation gave Stetson the lot adjacent to the Church on West 96th St, where she lived in a neo-Georgian house. Stetson's house was demolished in 1930, replaced by a "mild(ly) Art Deco" apartment building designed by Thomas W. Lamb. [4]
The congregation met in rented space before construction of the church. [4]
First Church of Christ, Scientist | |
New York City Landmark
No. LP-0833
| |
Location | 1 West 96th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States |
---|---|
Coordinates | 40°47′31.2″N 73°57′53.64″W / 40.792000°N 73.9649000°W |
Built | 1903 |
Architect | Carrère and Hastings |
Architectural style | English Baroque, French Beaux-Arts |
Part of | Central Park West Historic District ( ID82001189 [1]) |
NYCL No. | LP-0833 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | November 9, 1982 [1] |
Designated NYCL | July 23, 1974 [2] |
The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Manhattan is a 1903 building located at Central Park West and 96th Street in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City. The building is a designated New York City landmark. [3]
The building, designed by Carrère & Hastings, was completed in 1903, is described by New York Times architectural historian Christopher Gray as "one of the city's most sumptuous churches." [4] The style reminiscent of the churches of Nicholas Hawksmoor, a combination of English Baroque and French Beaux-Arts detailing. The building featured stained-glass windows by John LaFarge. The window over the front door was named "Touch Me Not" and was based on John 20:17, depicting Jesus' encounter with Mary Magdalene outside the tomb. [5]
It featured mosaics, gold-plated chandeliers, marble floors, curved pews made of Circassian walnut, and elevators called "moving rooms" because they were large enough to hold 20 people. [4] [5]
The church was designated a New York City landmark in 1974, and is a contributing property to the federally designated Central Park West Historic District. [6] [7] [8] [9]
In 2004 the building was sold to the Crenshaw Christian Center and the Christian Science congregation merged with the congregation of the Second Church of Christ, Scientist. [4] [10] [5]
In June 2014, after almost ten years in the building, the Crenshaw Christian Center sold the building to 361 Central Park L.L.C. for $26 million. The new owner planned to convert the 47,000-square-foot structure to condominiums. [5] However, the condominium plan was rejected by the zoning appears board. In January 2018 the Children's Museum of Manhattan announced that it had acquired the building. [11] In June 2020 the renovation plan was approved by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. [12]
The congregation was organized in 1886 by Augusta Emma Stetson. The congregation gave Stetson the lot adjacent to the Church on West 96th St, where she lived in a neo-Georgian house. Stetson's house was demolished in 1930, replaced by a "mild(ly) Art Deco" apartment building designed by Thomas W. Lamb. [4]
The congregation met in rented space before construction of the church. [4]