This is a call for change

Nestled in the heart of modern Brooklyn – where Downtown's busiest transit hub meets vibrant Fort Greene towering skyscrapers and lively communities thrive. Yet at one of the neighborhood's most prominent corners, the historic United Methodist Church at 144 St. Felix Street has been crumbling for nearly 20 years, its structure marred by large cracks and neglect.

Today, this once-grand church feels dark, unsafe, and abandoned: stained-glass windows obscured, a permanent emergency sidewalk shed in place, and frequent break-ins plaguing the site. Most of us who live, work, or pass through here daily have watched this decline with growing sadness.

If nothing is done soon, we will lose this irreplaceable piece of Brooklyn history forever.

The Solution: 

An innovative, bold, beautiful plan that does three things at once:

Fully restores the church spirit and identity to its original glory (terra cotta elements, ornamental detailing, façade, appropriate stained glass, masonry and more).
Thoughtfully sets back a slender 27-story residential tower so the United Methodist church and the Williamsburgh Saving Bank clocktower remain the stars of these 2 corners – such proposed tower is exactly as city leaders and the original architect envisioned a century ago – while appropriately respecting the streetscape scale and character of the BAM Historic District.
Delivers 220 new homes, including 60 permanently affordable apartments (2-bedrooms as low as $1,458 per month) – the only truly affordable family-sized units coming to this part of Brooklyn and the only mixed income building in this historic district.
The result is innovative and harmonious: a restored church that maintains the historic streetscape, seamlessly placed right in between the 2 iconic 1920 Williamsburg Savings Bank clock tower and the approved modern tower at 130 St. Felix – all while honoring the architectural heritage that makes the BAM Historic District special.

Fort Greene has always thrived on creativity, culture, and diversity. Let’s protect that spirit with a development that unites us: saving an irreplaceable piece of our history while welcoming the people who make this neighborhood extraordinary and build a more inclusive future for everyone.

Every day we delay, this church deteriorates further. Sign now to tell decision-makers: Fort Greene deserves better. Our history matters. Our neighbors need homes. Let's build a future that honors both.

A plan that has been 2 years in the making, finally delivers a beautiful answer to address 20 years of neglect and revitalizes this important piece of our history 

We, the undersigned, proudly support swift approval of the 144 St. Felix Street adaptive reuse project.