Now, however, Feibush's plans are on hold. Months after his company bid for the property, Christian Street Baptist is being considered for historic designation after Philadelphia preservation activist Oscar Beisert nominated the property, citing its history as Philadelphia's oldest Italian mission as grounds for preservation. If approved, the designation would protect the church from demolition — and derail Feibush's plans. The proposal was presented this month at a Philadelphia Historical Commission meeting. Further discussion was delayed until the November meeting.



[Update: Since the church was historically designated by the Philadelphia Historical Commission on Nov. 10, confusion continues to swirl around the property's true status. On Monday, the Historical Commission announced that it had incorrectly tallied the group's November vote — meaning, in fact, the church was not designated after all. On Tuesday, preservationists and attorneys challenged that reversal, arguing that the initial vote for preservation should still stand.]