The Brooklyn Eagle reports this week that yet another local civic group has cropped up in Bay Ridge’s fight to stave off over-development, as The Bay Ridge Community Council launches – the BRCC Preservation Committee.‘
B.R.C.C is reportedly comprised of some 105 other community organizations, (some of which may even exist) and is touted as being a leader in preserving the community’s ‘essential character and form,’ according to local preservationist and civic leader Victoria Hofmo – who’s been tapped by BRCC’s president Bob Cassara to chair the new committee.

According to Cassara, ‘preservation is very important… If you can’t change it, you can’t muck it up.‘

BRCC’s Preservation Committee has their work cut out for ‘em, as their announcement comes on the not-so-timely heels of a Brooklyn Supreme Court order allowing the sale of what, so far, has been the only focus of local preservationists – The Bay Ridge United Methodist Church.

Judge Larry Martin writing what’s likely to be the final chapter in the drama surrounding the 109 year old structure, that’s been a mix of passion and ire, with all the surreal hysterics of Alexander Payne’s Citizen Ruth in between.

The tenuous existence of the structure has inspired an almost cult-like reaction among devoted preservationists who, ironically, are not among its congregation.

Consequently, if Hofmo and the BRCC have come to the table solely for the benefit of Bay Ridge’s Green Church, as their political and civic counterparts have – namely, the Committee to Save the Green Church – then the train has left the station without them.

For those groups who wish to stick around after the administrative reality has settled in, there awaits a greater truth, and a more significant challenge.

A truth outside the tantrum driven remonstrations of those, who, instead of building consensus, have sequestered themselves from the greater community – operating under the belief that being ‘right’ by virtue of something simply being ‘beautiful’ is somehow sufficient.

If only all things were so convenient; to have the administrative come so neatly in line with the aesthetic and historical – we’d hardly ever suffer a casualty.

Yes, the loss of the Green Church undoubtedly means one less landmark of distinction to admire, one less piece of beauty to behold, and certainly one more useless and over-taxing residential development to contend with, rather than which to coexist.

These are all givens.

However they are also the arguments of admirers and sentimentalists – not those of the war-planner, which this community requires.

The challenge requires the resources of skilled volunteers, with both aptitude and acumen – not just false authority and a lot of chest pounding.

Serious people who can find de jure solutions that put our community’s shared truths (aesthetic, historical and infrastructural) on an equal administrative footing with those of developers’.

While, more importantly, recognizing a pragmatic and elemental truth in compromise – somewhere between an outright rejection of change and unbridled development – with a watchful eye to beauty and utility.

The relief that comes from Judge Martin’s decision is as much about healing, as it is closure.

That being said; there’s no rejoicing over the loss of our Green Church, among anyone.

No more so than a group of local ‘activists’ have to rejoice around a slash and burn PR campaign in which a meek, dwindling congregation were painted as crooks and underachieving investors (too busy selfishly feeding the poor to effectively manage their portfolio, no doubt) – rather than taking stock of their own whereabouts prior to their involvement with the 100+ yr old Church – a whopping 6 months ago.

a blogged week:
Right in Bay Ridge: Meter Maids Know No Discretion, Bay Ridge Traffic goes International
Gowanus Lounge: Carroll Gardeners defend feline hard-line, Coney Island delivered by 2019?
Left in Bay Ridge: has beef with Landmarks Commish, to preserve or not preserve
Sunset Park Blog: Cultural Happenings, Sunset Park’s Castle
Gotham City Insider: resisting wine culture, the ice cream of our youth