Church of Constantinople plans to sell Ukrainian cultural center in USA
The church leadership plans to sell and demolish the center in Somerset, built with community funds. The land is valued between $20 and $70 million.
The Ukrainian Cultural Center in Somerset, New Jersey, one of the most important symbols of Ukrainian presence in teh USA, is under threat of sale and demolition. The cultural complex belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the United States (under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate). However, the center and the museum themselves were built with funds from the diaspora community, Ukrainians in the USA.
On September 18, 2025, a zoning hearing was held in Franklin Township, where the Ukrainian Cultural Center is located. Hundreds of Ukrainians actively participated in the process, and due to the large number of their questions, the hearing did not even reach the end of the first stage. The meeting was postponed to November 6, at 7:00 PM, in a larger venue.
The head of the UOC in the USA, Archbishop Antony Scherba, and Archbishop Daniel Zelinsky of Pamphylia were present at the hearing. The church leadership hastily left the meeting, avoiding dialogue with the community, which demanded explanations. The departing hierarchs were seen off with cries "Shame!" According to activists, the land under the center is valued at between $20 and $70 million.
The church leadership claims plans to sell and demolish the center, citing a lack of resources and community absence. However, activists note that this is not true. The center hosts a Ukrainian school, operates community organizations, and has patrons and volunteers ready to provide financial and organizational support.
A petition to preserve the center has gathered over 2,600 signatures, and video campaigns have been viewed by at least 300,000 people.
Recall, in January 2019, Bishop Daniel Zelinsky stated that Local Churches would recognize the OCU within a month or a month and a half.
