The attempt to find a preservation-minded buyer to whom Feibush can assign his contract represents a surprising — and even, some say, a confusing — turnabout from just six months ago, when he and some of Philadelphia's most prominent preservationists faced off at Philadelphia Historical Commission meetings. At the time, Feibush — the Philadelphia developer known for his contentious clashes with City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson — was fiercely fighting the historic designation nomination that preservationist Oscar Beisert had submitted just days after Feibush made his $1.5 million bid. The way Feibush saw it at the time, the property was ripe for redevelopment in the fast-gentrifying neighborhood. Beisert, however, argued that the church was an architectural relic — one exemplifying the heritage of Italian immigrants who occupied the neighborhood after Irish and black residents had moved on.