wfn.org | Episcopalians: Process for potential Church Center move to GTS campus

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

March 1, 2002

2002-054

Episcopalians: Process for potential Church Center move to 
GTS campus

by James Solheim

(ENS) The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, at its 
February meeting in San Antonio, accepted a five-phase process 
that could lead to a move of the national offices to a new 
facility on the campus of the General Theological Seminary (GTS) 
in New York.

The Memorandum of Intent (text at www.gts.edu), passed earlier by 
the GTS board, constitutes an expression of current interest 
and intent by both parties to proceed and it outlines the 
essential terms and conditions for a joint development of 
offices and a conference center.

The first phase, already underway, must determine space 
requirements of both parties, look at the budget, review 
ownership structure options, and determine the value of the 
seminarys property as part of the development. 

For the church, the biggest issue is the viability of the 
conference center, according to Pat Mordecai, assistant to the 
presiding bishop for administration. She said that phase one 
could be completed by the time the council meets again in June. 
The second phase, which must seek zoning approvals, could take 
14-18 months. A Definitive Agreement between the church and 
seminary is necessary, she pointed out, before the plans could 
proceed.

We are still on board and think this can work, said Dall 
Forsythe of New York in his presentation to the council. The 
train is moving down the track but it will make some stops when 
either party can get off. He said that he thinks it will work 
out fine but we wont know until all the figures are available.

As a separate issue, the church must decide what to do with 
the Church Center on Second Avenue in Manhattan. Treasurer Ralph 
L. OHara said that there is an advantage to owning New York 
City real estate at this time so there is a possibility the 
church might decide to renovate and lease the building. The 
recommitment of the Episcopal Church to a presence in New York 
City at this time will be a powerful statement to the people of 
this grieving city and nation, said the memorandum.

Phase three involves an agreement on the design, bidding for 
the construction, approving a final development budget and 
financing structurea process that could take another 6-9 
months, according to Mordecai. She estimated that construction 
of the offices on the Ninth Avenue boundary of the campus would 
take about 24 months and the conference center about 18 months 
so that the actual move would not be possible until the end of 
2006 or early the following year. There is some disagreement on 
which of the two projects would come first, she noted. The 
church is arguing for the offices, the seminary for the 
conference center since it would be less disruptive. 

The use of the conference center is still under discussion. 
We acknowledge the importance for both the Church Center and 
the seminary to retain their respective identities and missions, 
but through the conference and education center a new 
collaboration and synergy will become possible, the memorandum 
observed.  The interaction and dialogue between the church and 
the seminary may provide new ways of serving and new forms of 
leadership and an opportunity to explore new ways of enhancing 
their ministries through cooperative sharing of resources. By 
bringing together the leadership of the church with educational 
resources in an international city, this proposal will enhance 
the role of the Episcopal Church throughout the Anglican 
Communion.

The memorandum was signed by Presiding Bishop Frank T. 
Griswold and Dean Ward Ewing of the seminary.

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--James Solheim is director of Episcopal News Service.