Ricci and Miller of Eastern Consolidated rep seller in $2.775 million sale of former 15,510 s/f church

The Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Harlem has traded for $2.775 million to the artist and sculptor Ugo Rodinone, who will convert the 15,510 s/f property to a cultural center/community facility. Eastern Consolidated director Louis Ricci and principal/senior director Alan Miller represented the seller, Merker Realty Corp. and procured the buyer. Attorneys in the transaction were Eric Rubenstein, Esq., Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C for the seller and Vincent Hanley, Esq., Hanley & Goble LLP for the buyer. "Although we received multiple inquiries from a wide variety of users about this property, only a handful of residential developers expressed interest, even though zoning allows accommodation of a residential building of up to 33,000 s/f," said Ricci who added that during the eight-month marketing period the seller even rented the church to two different film companies for location shoots of feature films. "Ultimately, the non-landmarked church, situated only two blocks from 125th St., Harlem's major thoroughfare, was acquired by a famous visionary Swiss sculptor, who will create a cultural facility to benefit the local community."