The Swedenborg Chapel escaped the wrecking ball at last night's Cambridge City Council meeting as the council voted unanimously to make the chapel a historical landmark upon the recommendation of the Cambridge Historical Commission.

"It was a slam dunk from the beginning. We just had to make it happen," said Michael L. Charney, acting chair of the Save Swedenborg Chapel Coalition.

The chapel's designation as a protected landmark effectively ends a Somerville real estate developer's plans to demolish the building.

Frank Fodera, who made a $2.7 million offer to the Swedenborg School of Religion to buy the chapel in February, reportedly planned to raze the bulk of the chapel and build a housing development.

But due to last night's decision, the chapel's four walls, all visible to the public, may not be destroyed or blocked from view. The Historical Commission must also approve any further development on the site.

Rarely an advocate for historical landmarking, a University official appeared before the council to encourage the city to save the chapel.

"We [the University] share the concerns of the community and support the community's interest in land-marking the site," said Mary H. Power, director of the University's community relations with Cambridge.

This is not the last of the threats to the Swedenborg however. The historical landmark designation does not, for instance, protect the interior of the church.

"There will always be the danger of people finding loopholes," said James M. Williamson, a member of the coalition who fears the congregation is still in jeopardy of losing its home.