Talk of the Sound obtained exclusive access to the North Avenue Presbyterian Church to take photographs of the rarely seen interior of the long-shuttered church which has been closed to the public for decades. Photographer Jen Parente used a special light diffuser to photograph the otherwise dark and inaccessible interior of the building.
Talk of the Sound obtained the photos along with details of the RFP for the proposed sale or lease of the building to clarify some misconceptions about the deals under consideration by City Hall.
While it may have been news to many that the North Avenue Presbyterian Church was on the auction block, the deal that could land Mariano Rivera in New Rochelle for many years after his retirement from Major League Baseball has been a year in the making. In May 2010, the Commissioner of Development made recommendations for the reuse/rehabilitation of the North Avenue Presbyterian Church.
The church property was discussed at the Dec. 7 Council meeting.
A memo was distributed to the City Council from Commissioner of Development Michael Freimuth by City Manager Chuck Strome the following month.
City of New Rochelle
Department of Development
MEMORANDUM
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
THRU: Charles B. Strome, III, CITY MANAGER
FROM: Michael W. Freimuth, COMMISSIONER OF DEVELOPMENT
DATE: January 18, 2011
SUBJECT: Request for Proposals – North Avenue Presbyterian Church
______________________________________________________________________________
In a memorandum to the City Council dated May 21, 2010, the Commissioner of Development outlined several real estate options available pertaining to the reuse/rehabilitation of the North Avenue Presbyterian Church. Of these options, a solicitation of proposals for the sale or lease of the building for use by a church or other commercial entity
was recommended.As a result of recent inquiries from religious organizations, the City Council directed staff to prepare the attached request for proposals. The RFP will be sent directly to the interested religious organizations and posted on the City of New Rochelle website until the February 11, 2011 deadline for submissions.
The RFP announcement was published in The Journal News on Jan 21st, Jan 28th, and Feb 4th.
It was sent to the attached list during this time period (exact date unknown, there was no cover letter attached).
LIST OF INTERESTED ORGANIZATIONS
1. Saint Simon the Cyrenian Episcopal Church
135 Remington Place
New Rochelle, NY 10801
914.632.5911Bezer Holiness Church
375 Huguenot Street
New Rochelle, NY 10801Mariano Rivera
Rye, New York 10580
The Request for Proposal begins as follows:
City of New Rochelle RFP: North Avenue Presbyterian Church
For Lease or Sale
INTENT
The City of New Rochelle is soliciting interest from religious organizations to lease or purchase and rehabilitate the former North Avenue Presbyterian Church located in New Rochelle, New York.OVERVIEW
The City-owned, stone structure, completed in 1907, consists of approximately 9,500 square feet on one ground level. At the main entrance, located on North Avenue, is an existing a foyer of approximately 1,000 square feet and the remainder of a bell tower, which was recently de- constructed. At the rear of the church is a one story structure of approximately 2,500 square feet including a basement level that houses heating equipment for the main building consisting of a floor plan of approximately 6,000 square feet.At this time the City wishes to entertain inquiries from religious organizations interested in using the building for the purposes that it was historically intended, as a house of worship.
Entire Presbyterian Church RFP
The North Avenue Presbyterian Church is located on Parcel Number: 3-822-0013 which is designated as 475 North Avenue which includes the New Rochelle Police Station and New Rochelle City Court as well as a parking lot. In order to be sold or leased the property would need to be surveyed to establish new metes and bounds. Once surveyed the property could be appraised baed on the value of the building.
Larry Talt, an experienced realtor and developer, estimates the building space to be worth about $100 per square foot at today’s market rate and the value of the land to be about $50 per square foot. Based on the RFP, the building contains 13,000 square feet. The property is about 20,000 square feet. The total estimated value of the property, according to Talk is about $650,000 for the building and about $1,000,000 for the land for a total value of $1.65mm.
Once the property is appraised, qualified interested parties would be invite to present to the City Council, possibly in May.