A 10-foot fence, new plantings and a glass-topped platform are proposed for the long-empty East Village lot where Middle Collegiate Church once stood. The interim makeover would give the fire-cleared site a more deliberate presence while the congregation works toward a larger future sanctuary.
Plans presented by CTA Architects would wrap the L-shaped property in a powder-coated aluminum fence, add permeable paving and create an accessible entrance to Middle Church’s existing worship space around the corner. New York YIMBY reports that the proposal is scheduled for review by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission’s agenda describes the application as covering 112-114 Second Avenue and 50 East 7th Street. It calls for a new concrete platform, structural foundation work, regrading, fencing, landscaping, related site improvements and a new entrance, but the hearing is a review of the proposal—not a final construction announcement.
The proposed fence would run roughly 61 feet along Second Avenue and 80 feet along East 7th Street, with custom gates and a profile modeled partly on historic churchyard fences at St. Paul’s Chapel and the New York City Marble Cemetery. Behind it, the design includes beach plum trees, eight painted wood planters and Eco-Priora permeable pavers, while a 24-foot ADA-compliant ramp would lead to a gabled portico with wood doors, frosted fire-rated glass and bronze hardware, according to New York YIMBY’s report.
A Temporary Site After A Historic Fire
The lot has been largely vacant since December 5, 2020, when a six-alarm fire spread from a neighboring vacant building and gutted the 1892 Gothic Revival church. The blaze destroyed the sanctuary and Tiffany windows, while the church’s historic Liberty Bell survived, as The Guardian reported at the time.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved demolition of the remaining façade in January 2023 with conditions requiring the reuse of historic material, according to Village Preservation’s application record. The current proposal would retain the pointed stone entry arch and place salvaged church stone in the existing excavation along the lot’s eastern edge.
Church Envisions A Larger Future
Middle Church has described the fence and landscaping as an interim step rather than the final use of the property. In its three-phase rebuilding plan, the congregation says it is seeking a mission-aligned partner for a future project that could include space for art, concerts, gatherings and community work.
The congregation’s latest annual report says the church is rebuilding in phases, with the renovated 50 East 7th Street building serving as its current worship and community hub. For now, the East Village lot’s next milestone is Tuesday’s landmarks hearing; a construction timeline for the proposed site work has not been announced.
