Page 4 - Prayer Space News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

The actual parcel. but the bottom line is -- and people need to understand -- the building already in fact is being used as a prayer space. today people will be praying there. fridays, the most important day, of course, for muslims in terms of prayer, hundreds of people already come to that building. so the usage is not really an issue here. it's almost certain that there will be an islamic center at this building, unless the owners change their minds. >> then there is the question of course about the building itself, about the debate over landmark status. explain what's going on there and rea...

Could be demolished. the proximity to ground zero to where this community center is going to be built. to give you an idea of how close they are, we went down there. here's what we found. take a look. this is the location of the project. what the proponents call a community center with a prayer space and what the opponents call a mosque or a mega mosque. in this building there would be some 13 stories tall, which means it has to add on to the top of it. there are other buildings that high on this block and across the street, if you look, a building that takes up the entire block that is taller...

Test these days. ron allen is live in lower manhattan. ron, explain what this city -- it's a vote in the new york city council. walk us through it this morning. >> reporter: well, it is a vote by the city's landmark and historic preservation commission. they're involved in this because some people want the building in question designated as a historic site and limit what the organizers with a community center, a prayer space and mosque others call it, limit what they do today but the development will go forward because as i understand it they have about every legal requirement in their favor. ...

And the controversial plan to build the mosque can essentially move forward. nbc ron allen has been keeping a close eye on this story and joining us now from lower manhattan. ron, opponents among them, the former vice presidential candidate sarah palin says the mosque is insensitive to families of 9/11 victims. after today, what other recourse do they have? what can they do to try to stop this? >> some people here talking about lawsuits and the whole issue is about the proximity of this mosque, this community center i should call it to ground zero. to give you a better idea of what we're talki...

Center right at that site. it's just a matter of whether or not he would have been able to knock down the building. so now plans can go forward for a structure that may be 13 stories high or even higher. nonetheless, another important point that many people have not been aware of, the fact is that building right now contains a prayer space even today. muslims will be there praying, praying peacefully two blocks north of the world trade center site. >> i have to ask you this. you have been talking to people. has anyone talked about having a mosque near ground zero might make it less prone to te...