First Church of Christ, Scientist (New York City)

(Redirected from First Church of Christ, Scientist (Manhattan)) Church in Manhattan, New York

United States historic place

Significant dates

First Church of Christ, Scientist
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
New York City Landmark No. LP-0833

Former building of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Manhattan, New York City
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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 / 40.792000; -73.9649000
Built	1903
Architect	Carrère and Hastings
Architectural style	English Baroque, French Beaux-Arts
Part of	Central Park West Historic District (ID82001189)
NYCL No.	LP-0833
Added to NRHP	November 9, 1982
Designated NYCL	July 23, 1974

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.

Architecture

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." 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.

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.

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.

Building use

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.

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. 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 former First Church of Christ, Scientist, building. The church building cost $45 million, and the city provided $5.5 million for a renovation of the church. FXCollaborative was hired to renovate the church. The original plan for the church was controversial, as residents opposed the addition of a penthouse on the roof and the removal of windows, but FXCollaborative's proposal was ultimately approved in June 2020. The museum publicly presented renderings of the renovated church building in 2020. As of 2024, the museum was planning to relocate in 2028.

Congregation

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.

The congregation met in rented space before construction of the church.

References

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
"New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
"New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
^ Gray, Christopher (February 15, 2004). "The First and Second Churches of Christ, Scientist; A Tale of 2 Warring Churches, and of One Woman". New York Times. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
^ Barron, James (September 26, 2014). "A Difficult Passage from Church to Condominium". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; Dolkart, Andrew S.; Postal, Matthew A. (2009). Postal, Matthew A. (ed.). Guide to New York City Landmarks (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-28963-1., pp.145-146
White, Norval & Willensky, Elliot (2000). AIA Guide to New York City (4th ed.). New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-0-8129-3107-5., p.366
Dunlap, David W. (2004). From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12543-7., pp.74-74
"About Us" Archived 2016-10-24 at the Wayback Machine on the Crenshaw Christian Center East website
Gray, Christopher. "Streetscapes: First Church of Christ, Scientist; 2 Congregations Unite, and No. 2 Becomes No. 1". New York Times (December 25, 2005)
Warerkar, Tanay (January 2, 2018). "UWS church once slated for condos will now hold Children's Museum of Manhattan". Curbed NY. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
^ Graeber, Laurel (January 4, 2018). "Historic Church to Be New Home for Children's Museum of Manhattan". The New York Times. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
"FXCollaborative to Transform Beaux Arts Church Into the New Children's Museum of Manhattan". Interior Design. November 7, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
Ricciulli, Valeria (March 4, 2020). "Upper West Side church-to-museum conversion spurs heated debate". Curbed NY. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
Gunts, Edward (June 12, 2020). "FXCollaborative wins approval to convert Carrère and Hastings church into children's museum". The Architect’s Newspaper. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
"FXCollaborative to repurpose historic NYC church into children's museum". Construction Specifier. June 22, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
Hilburg, Jonathan (December 15, 2020). "Children's Museum of Manhattan reveals new renderings, programming announcements for its future home". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
Saraniero, Nicole (December 22, 2020). "New Designs Revealed for Children's Museum of Manhattan". Untapped New York. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
Pogrebin, Robin (October 1, 2024). "New Children's Museum of Manhattan to Open in 2028". The New York Times. Retrieved October 1, 2024.

Upper West Side (including Lincoln Square, Manhattan Valley, Riverside South)

Manhattan, New York City

Buildings

59th–72nd Sts	1 Lincoln Plaza 1 Riverside Park 5 West 63rd Street 15 Central Park West 27 West 67th Street 50 West 66th Street 55 Central Park West 101 Central Park West 200 Amsterdam Bradford Hotel The Brentmore The Century Deutsche Bank Center The Dorilton Empire Hotel First Battery Armory Harperly Hall IRT Powerhouse Hotel des Artistes Lincoln Towers The Majestic Millennium Tower Park Loggia The Prasada Pythian Temple The Sofia Trump International Hotel and Tower Waterline Square
72nd–86th Sts	257 Central Park West 520 West End Avenue The Ansonia The Apthorp Apple Bank Building The Astor Hotel Beacon Hotel Belleclaire The Beresford Bretton Hall The Dakota Endicott Hotel The Greystone The Kenilworth The Langham The Level Club Olcott Hotel Public School 9 Red House Rossleigh Court The San Remo
86th–110th Sts	161 West 93rd Street 353 Central Park West 360 Central Park West 370 Riverside Drive 601 West End Avenue The Ariel Association Residence Nursing Home Astor Court Building The Belnord Claremont Riding Academy Cleburne Building Columbus Square The Cornwall The El Dorado Frederick Douglass Houses Hotel Marseilles Hotel Paris Isaac L. Rice Mansion The Manhasset Master Apartments New York Cancer Hospital The Normandy Pomander Walk Schinasi Mansion The Turin
Former	Apthorp Farm Astor Market Charles M. Schwab House Lincoln Arcade Somerindyck House

Culture

Shops, restaurants

Museums

Theaters/performing arts

Lincoln Center	Alice Tully Hall David Geffen Hall David H. Koch Theater Rose Hall Metropolitan Opera House Vivian Beaumont Theater Walter Reade Theater

Former

Green spaces and recreation
Central Park Damrosch Park Riverside Park Sherman Square Septuagesimo Uno Verdi Square West Side Community Garden

Education

Primary and secondary	The Anderson School PS 334 Calhoun School Collegiate School Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School Dwight School Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School Gateway School Innovation Diploma Plus High School Manhattan Day School PS 9 Sarah Anderson School PS 166 The School at Columbia University Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan Stephen Gaynor School Studio Maestro Trinity School
Post-secondary	Bard Graduate Center Fordham University School of Law William E. Macaulay Honors College Yeshivat Hadar
Music schools	Bloomingdale School of Music Kaufman Music Center Mannes School of Music

Religion

Churches, chapels

Synagogues

Transportation

Subway stations	59th Street–Columbus Circle 66th Street–Lincoln Center 72nd Street/Central Park West 72nd Street/Broadway 79th Street 81st Street–Museum of Natural History 86th Street/Central Park West 86th Street/Broadway 96th Street/Central Park West 96th Street/Broadway 103rd Street/Central Park West 103rd Street/Broadway Cathedral Parkway–110th Street/Central Park West Cathedral Parkway–110th Street/Broadway
Streets	66th Street 72nd Street 74th Street 79th Street 85th Street 89th Street 95th Street 96th Street Amsterdam Avenue Broadway Central Park West Columbus Avenue Columbus Circle Frederick Douglass Circle Riverside Drive West End Avenue
Other	New York Central Railroad 69th Street Transfer Bridge 79th Street Boat Basin

Related topics
Central Park West Historic District Manhattantown San Juan Hill

See also: Manhattan Community Board 7

v t e New York City historic sites
National Register	Manhattan Below 14th St 14th–59th Sts 59th–110th Sts Above 110th St Smaller islands Brooklyn Queens Staten Island Bronx National Historic Landmarks New York City
City Landmarks	Manhattan Below 14th St 14th–59th Sts 59th–110th Sts Above 110th St Smaller islands Brooklyn Queens Staten Island Bronx Scenic landmarks

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