City leaders move ahead with 'landmark status' for historic Yonkers church

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A historic church in downtown Yonkers is now protected under a landmark status. Yonkers City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt the designation. The Church of the Immaculate Conception, also known as St. Mary's, has been a pillar in the Yonkers community for 175 years. Last December, the archdiocese announced the church was in need of major repairs to continue regular service. Those repairs were too costly and a couple weeks ago, the church was merged into another parish in Yonkers. However, dozens of parishioners have been fighting for St. Mary's to stay as is. They tell News 12 this kind of landmark status is a step in the right direction to preserve the structure. It's now up to the archdiocese to decide what's next when it comes to services. News 12 reached out to the Archdiocese of New York but we have yet to hear back. "