After an extensive and emotional debate over the fate of the Christian Street Baptist Church in Bella Vista, the Philadelphia Historical Commission made a tough decision Friday: It added the building to the city’s Historic Register, capping a months-long debate over whether to demolish or preserve the more than century-old church.

By Monday morning, developer Ori Feibush had made his decision, too: He would pull out of his nearly $1.5 million-dollar agreement of sale for the church, scrapping plans to tear the property down and build five town homes in its place.