GLENDALE : Church in Feud Over Historic Preservation

Members of St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale say that 70 years of history is preventing them from practicing their centuries-old religion.

Church leaders are asking that their building--a prominent, column-fronted edifice built in 1926--be the first structure ever removed from a list of 34 protected historic sites in the city’s General Plan. That would eliminate the red tape they say prevents them from expanding the church to meet the needs of a growing congregation and impinges on their religious freedom.

But preservation advocates and some city officials say it could set a dangerous precedent. “For us, it has nothing to do with religion,” said Andrea Humberger, a member of the Glendale Historical Society. “We feel because of the building’s historical and architectural significance it warrants being a landmark and it should stay that way.”

Further, removing the church’s historic status would invite the owners of all such properties to expect the same treatment, she said.

When the Armenian congregation bought the building from the First Church of Christ, Scientist in early 1985, the church had been placed on the historic list but received no special protection. But later that year, the City Council adopted an ordinance requiring that changes to historic buildings be approved by the new Historic Preservation Commission.

Eric Olson, an attorney representing the church, said the ordinance has become “an immense bureaucratic hassle” causing delays when the church has tried to reinforce the building against earthquakes, install stained-glass windows, place a cross on the front of the building and paint the exterior.

Olson said the church has had to put aside larger plans such as expanding the sanctuary and Sunday school, and building a parking garage. Because Christian Scientist churches have no choirs, the Armenian congregation also needs a choir loft but cannot build one, he said.

The city’s Environmental and Planning Board ruled Thursday that an environmental impact report must be completed before a decision will be made on whether to take the building off the historic roster.

City planning officials have been wary of removing the building from the list because it is potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. They are also concerned that the church is considering certain modifications--such as the construction of a dome atop the roof--that would diminish the building’s historic worth, or that the building could be demolished.

But Vahik Satoorian, treasurer of the church’s board of directors, said the congregation just wants to exercise its First Amendment rights to religious freedom and make the building look more like what it is: an Armenian church.

“Every Armenian church has a dome, but we don’t. Even if we wanted to put one in, we can’t do it. It’s a restriction on our religious freedom, and we feel this is unacceptable in a country like America,” Satoorian said.

“We don’t want to demolish this building, it’s one of the most famous Armenian churches in the world.”