Hanson Place Central United Methodist Church
144 St Felix Street | also 17 Hanson Place, 13 Hanson Place, 15 Hanson Place | Fort Greene | built 1929
Open on the map8 entries
The city photographed every building for its tax records around 1940 and again in the 1980s. NYC Municipal Archives.
Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.
- 1858
Hanson Place Methodists dedicate their first church on this corner
The Hanson Place Methodist Church, an earlier building on this lot, went up in 1857 on land the congregation had bought a year before; the ground had earlier been part of a farm. It held 800 people and had a Sunday school in its basement. The congregation dedicated it on January 3, 1858.
Source: Wikipedia
- 1874
A larger Hanson Place Methodist church replaces the 1857 building
By 1860 the congregation had outgrown its first church and added a Sunday school next door. Fire laws barred enlarging the 1857 building, so the congregation chose to demolish it. A new church designed by John Mumford was begun in 1873 and dedicated on January 4, 1874, the second Methodist church on the lot.
“Fire laws prohibited the enlargement of the 1857 building so the decision was made to demolish the old church... begun in 1873 and was dedicated on Jan. 4, 1874.”
- 1927
Three Methodist congregations merge into Central Methodist Episcopal Church
In 1927 the Hanson Place Methodist Church combined with the Summerfield Methodist Church to form the Central Methodist Episcopal Church. The old Fleet Street Methodist congregation also joined, adding a sizable financial gift. The merged parish bought a separate site for a new church shortly afterward.
- 1929
Subway construction leaves the 1874 church condemned, so the parish rebuilds on the spot
In February 1929 the Buildings Department condemned the 1874 church on this lot as unsafe because subway construction had undermined its foundations, and repairs could not be made. The merged congregation then chose to build its new church on the condemned building's site rather than the lot it had bought. The new church, with furnishings, cost $1,500,000.
“…in February, 1929, the Hanson Place Methodist Church building was condemned as unsafe for occupancy... when subway construction undermined the building's foundations…”
- 1931
Halsey, McCormick and Helmer finish a modern Gothic church beside their bank tower
Built in 1929-1931, the present church stands where St. Felix Street meets Hanson Place, at the northwest corner. The firm Halsey, McCormick and Helmer designed it in a Modern Gothic and Art Moderne style. The same architects designed the neighboring Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower.
“The architecture firm of Halsey, McCormick, and Helmer designed the Modern Gothic/Art Moderne style church, as well as the adjacent landmarked Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower.”
Source: Wikipedia
- 1931
Carvings on the church's brick front stand for salvation, immortality and the believers
The red brick church stands on a granite base and is trimmed in lighter stone. Over its Gothic entrance arch, a carved canopy bears roses for the promise of salvation, pomegranates for immortality and bunches of grapes for the body of believers. Terra-cotta plaques on the St. Felix Street side stand for faith, justice, hope, charity, fortitude and humility.
“…canopy over the entrance doors adorned with symbolic roses representing the promise of salvation, pomegranates - immortality, and bunches of grapes representing the collective body of the believers…”
- 2024
Church abandoned in 2019 gets a $15 million buyer and an apartment tower plan in 2024
The congregation left the building in 2019 after its membership fell sharply, and the structure then decayed until it could not be occupied. Repairs would cost tens of millions of dollars. In 2024 Watermark Capital Group agreed to buy it for $15 million and build a 27-story, 240-unit apartment tower above it, a quarter of the units affordable. Brooklyn Community Board 2 recommended against the plan.
“…abandoned in 2019... In 2024, Watermark Capital Group agreed to purchase the church building for $15 million, intending to build a luxury apartment tower…”
Source: Wikipedia
- 2026
Landmarks Commission unanimously approves a revised tower above the church
In March 2026 the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously for revised plans, submitted by developer Strekte, to put a residential tower above the church. The plans include restoring significant architectural elements of the building. Commissioners called it a precedent-setting approach to reusing landmarked religious buildings.
Source: Wikipedia
Further reading
Nearby
- Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower1 Hanson Place | 10 entries
- Brooklyn Music School126 St Felix Street | 4 entries
- Brooklyn Academy of Music30 Lafayette Avenue | 8 entries
- Atlantic Terminal139 Flatbush Avenue | 2 entries
- Khalil Gibran International Academy485 State Street | 2 entries
- James E. Davis 80 Arts Building80 Hanson Place | 2 entries