Exploring Interfaith Bringing People and Places Together

COMMON VolumeBOND 30, Number 1, Summer 2020

10thANNIVERSARY ISSUE Celebrating All Faiths: A Decade of Sacred Sites Open House Visit nylandmarks.org A Sacred nylandmarks.org Sites ProgramVisit

Exploring Interfaith Bringing people and places together

The New York Landmarks Dear Friends, Conservancy’s Sacred Sites Program offers congregations TABLE OF CONTENTS We hope you are safe and well and throughout New York State adjusting to our new reality. We financial and technical assistance understand what a difficult time this to maintain, repair, and restore their is for congregations. Our annual buildings. In addition to providing 02 The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, Inc. – A Sacred Sites Open House is an op- hundreds of thousands of dollars Funding Partnership for Long Island’s Sacred Sites portunity to let your communities in matching grants each year, the By Mari S. Gold know about your history and your Conservancy offers technical help, social service and cultural programs. workshops for building caretakers, Because of the current circumstanc- and publications. 10 Worship in the time of COVID-19: es, this year’s Open House, our 10th Anniversary, will take place virtually, Editor: Ann-Isabel Friedman How Some NY Congregations are Responding throughout the month of August, Contributors: Mari S. Gold, Claire By Mari S. Gold allowing us to share New York’s extraordinary houses of worship with Cancilla, Chris Marrion, Emily Sottile, a global audience. Please feel free to contact us at sacredsites@ Michael Doyle & Andy Liu. nylandmarks.org if you have any questions. Design: Travis Matts 14 Restoration Sends a Message of Hope to a Community Conservancy staff are adjusting too. Working from our homes, we are Back issues are available in print continuing to help people and institutions who depend on our grants, and online at By Mari S. Gold loans, preservation services, and advocacy. Our Sacred Sites pro- www.nylandmarks.org, Common gram is dedicated to the preservation of historic religious architecture Bond page. 20 One of America’s Oldest Mosques - Moslem Mosque throughout New York State. We are one of a handful of programs in the country offering financial help to religious properties and the only For additional information about By Claire Cancilla program covering an entire state. the Sacred Sites Program or Common Bond, please contact Our Sacred Sites Committee met in April via Zoom and approved 21 Ann Friedman at 26 Kindred Open Houses - A Similar Sacred Sites Open grants totaling $337,000 to institutions across the state. The grants will [email protected] House Program in Canada help fix stained glass windows, replace leaky roofs, restore steeples, By Mari S. Gold repoint masonry, and shore up sagging foundations.

Since 1986, Sacred Sites has awarded 1,547 grants totaling over $11.8 The New York 32 Celebrating All Faiths: million, helping restore 824 religious buildings, regardless of denomination. Our grants have had an outsized impact, helping historic Landmarks Conservancy Highlighting Diverse Restorations for NYC Sacred Sites One Whitehall Street religious properties complete restoration work totaling more than $716 By EverGreene Architectural Arts New York, NY 10004 million. Maintaining and restoring these facilities has enabled them to 212.995.5260 continue to serve their communities with day care, senior program- www.nylandmarks.org ming, food pantries, and cultural programming. Within the last year 34 Helping Protect Our Sacred Sites from Fire alone, our grantees provided services to over 290,000 individuals. Peg Breen, President By Christopher Marrion Ann-Isabel Friedman, Director, We are pleased to present our latest edition of our program publica- Sacred Sites Program tion, Common Bond. In this issue you will find timely articles on virtual 44 Opening Doors: Colleen Heemeyer, Deputy Direc- worship services; accessibility and fire prevention for historic houses of tor, Sacred Sites Program Accessibility in Historic Houses of Worship worship; and a feature on our Long Island funding partner, the Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation. We hope you find it interesting and useful. Sacred Sites Committee By Michael Doyle and Andy Liu Canon George W. Brandt Our very best wishes to you, your congregations, and families. Peg Breen Bernadette Castro 48 Sacred Sites Grants of 2019 Gus Christensen Mark Cisz Ronne Fisher Rev. John Kamas Miriam Kelly Rabbi Serge Andrew Lippe President Malcolm MacKay Lise Moran Amanda P. Niu Sheila Parekh-Blum, Chair Jonathan Plotkin Marc Schappell The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, Inc. – A Funding Partnership for Long Island’s Sacred Sites By Mari S. Gold Mari S. Gold 1 3 4 3 is a New York City based Kathryn Curran, Archi- freelance writer who tectural Conservator Joel contributes to several Snodgrass, Ann Friedman, magazines and websites. and the Preservation Among the topics she League’s Erin Tobin pres- covers are food, travel, ent at Gardiner Founda- dance, theatre and other tion Grants Workshop. arts. Her blog “But I Digress...” focuses on 4 cultural events, travel and The 1890 United Method- food at: ist Church of Patchogue www.marigoldonline.net has dozens of intersect- ing roofs of different slopes, complicating roof drainage. This funding and relationship with the Gardiner Foundation has resulted in a huge jump in the Conservancy’s outreach and grant awards in Suffolk County, with the Gardiner Foundation referring nearly all inquiries from religious sites to Sacred Sites staff. In the seven years prior to collaborating with the Gardiner Foundation, the Conservancy awarded 14 grants to 13 Long Island churches and synagogues, total- 5 ing $157,500, which helped fund nearly $1.2 5 “So many organizations don’t understand the work with historic houses of worship, and ways Executive Director 1 million in restoration work. Then, in just the first Kathryn Curran joins grant process,” said Kathryn R. Curran, that both organizations might collaborate in Rev. Miller of Old First two years with funding and project referrals Conservancy staff and Executive Director of the Robert David Lion the future. Presbyterian Church from the Gardiner foundation, the Conservan- church trustees to discuss accepts grant check from Gardiner Foundation, which primarily supports Patchogue project man- cy was able to exceed the totals of the prior Conservancy President the study of New York State history. “When a agement. Peg Breen 2 seven years, pledging 15 grants to 10 historic site has first worked with the New York religious institutions, totaling $167,500, helping 2 Landmarks Conservancy the staff has more to fund $1.26 million in restoration projects. Old First Trustee Pres- insight so it makes ongoing work easier at their ident Cindy Samuels, end and ours.” Kathryn Curran of the “The Conservancy’s Sacred Sites staff is so us- Gardiner Foundation, er-friendly and gentle,” Curran continued. For The relationship between the Gardiner Foun- and Gardiner Foundation instance, with the United Methodist Church of trustee Judge Cohalan dation and the New York Landmarks Con- Patchogue, Conservancy staffers spent hours servancy began in 2016 when both parties helping church leadership step back from independently helped fund the restoration of their impulse to rush to address urgent repairs the steeple at Old First Presbyterian Church at their site and take a more long-term view. in Huntington, Long Island. The Conservancy held a press event at the church, which dates Beginning in 2003, the United Methodist from 1784, to generate more interest in, and Church of Patchogue had received several potentially interest new funders for, Long Island Curran then invited Friedman and her col- prior Conservancy grants for masonry and roof projects. This event was followed by a lun- league Colleen Heemeyer, Deputy Director, repairs but, despite having spent hundreds of cheon hosted by Conservancy board mem- Grants and Preservation Services, to make thousands of dollars, the building continued ber Bernadette Castro, former Commissioner presentations about the Conservancy’s Sa- to leak badly, causing huge areas of plaster of the New York State Office of Parks, Recre- cred Sites grant program at Gardiner’s period- in the sanctuary to become dangerously ation, and Historic Preservation. Attendees ic Long Island grants workshops. After several loose. The Conservancy referred the church included leadership from Old First, Conservan- successful workshops, Curran invited the Con- to architectural conservator Joel Snodgrass, cy board members, local officials and other servancy to submit a proposal to the Gardiner (who coincidentally, consults with the Gardin- funders of the project, including Curran and a Foundation, requesting funding to help under- er Foundation, providing technical review of Gardiner Foundation trustee, Judge Peter Fox write three years of grants to historic religious its other construction grants). Curran joined Cohalan. Curran and Ann Friedman, Director sites on Long Island. The foundation board Conservancy staff at our site visit with church of the Sacred Sites program at the Conser- authorized $50,000 per year for three years in trustees, and her endorsement of our consul- vancy, took the opportunity to talk about their October 2017. tant referral provided strong reinforcement. Common Bond 2 3 Common Bond interest both in helping preserve their family After the records are understood, religious In evaluating Sacred Sites grant applications, 6 6 7 At left, water infiltrating heritage and benefitting the site. institutions can approach local high schools, the Conservancy considers the number of through masonry at the where students in need of community ser- community members served annually by var- United Methodist Church In addition to the membership records em- vice credits can be enlisted to help set up ious programs. Historic houses of worship are of Patchogue caused bodied in their memorial windows, many a database. It’s a win-win; students get the important landmarks, and restoration invest- severe plaster failure at rose window. religious institutions and cemeteries have hands-on experience and organizations get ment is an investment not only for a building wonderful archives such as records of births, the benefit of learning how to handle material but also for the community programs it houses. 7 deaths and marriages. These important his- and preserve valuable, old historical records. In 2019, the Conservancy’s 45 Sacred Sites At right, water infiltrating torical and genealogical records need to be A successful model for student-senior archives grantees provided social and cultural services at roof and gutters caused severe plaster failure at preserved. The Gardiner Foundation, with its projects is one the Gardiner Foundation fund- to 645,000 community residents. This is an tower stairs. focus on history, helps cultural institutions with ed at the University of Rochester in 2018, to astounding number relative to congregation grants, or partners with colleges offering library transcribe, annotate, and digitize manuscript size – each with an average of just 100 active degrees, to help Long Island institutions digitize archives of the family of William Henry Seward, members, representing a multiple of at least their archives. For churches, the Foundation (1801-1872), Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, 140x membership. The Conservancy, with the recommends that one way to manage this state senator, and Governor of New York. support of funders like the Robert David Lion kind of project is to start with the local senior Gardiner Foundation, is proud to support these * Project Link: community, as seniors can both read cursive *For more information and project details, vital institutions, assisting them with capital https://urochester. writing and understand old-world “florid” lan- please check the link in the margins. repairs so that they can continue to serve their atavist.com/lives-in- guage. communities. letters-seward-papers Historic sites — whether historic house mu- 8 Rather than funding another repair campaign 8 seums or older houses of worship — need to 11 10 The First Congregational that might not be effective, the Conservan- learn how to market themselves, Curran points The Choral Society of the Church of Riverhead Moriches performs at the cy’s initial grant helped fund a conditions as- out, often by capitalizing on services they United Methodist Church sessment by Snodgrass, allowing the church to provide to their community. “If a site doesn’t of Patchogue. pinpoint the source of leaks. This ensured that practice outreach they aren’t focusing on Photo credit: United the Conservancy could confidently award growth as they need to.” Community pro- Methodist Church Facebook a second grant of $20,000 towards roof and grams: pre-school, day care and after-school masonry repairs, knowing that repairs would centers, senior programs, food and clothing 11 address specific areas of flashing, gutters, and pantries, concert series and other cultural pro- Among the many social masonry, thereby curing the leaks. grams serve hundreds of community residents, service, cultural, and edu- cational programs hosted well beyond congregation members. Multiple at the United Methodist The First Congregational Church of Riverhead community programs warrant Foundation Church of Patchogue, was another project independently funded by support of these institutions, even when con- hosting more than 6,000 both the Conservancy and the Robert David gregation membership numbers are small. community members annually, is this Early Lion Gardiner Foundation prior to their funding Headstart program. partnership, in 2015. Major grants helped the 10 Photo credit: Long Island congregation fund urgent, $425,000 stabiliza- Headstart tion of the failing roof truss at the sanctuary, a late Victorian and Shingle Style balloon frame structure dating from 1909. Having repaired the truss and roof, the congregation needed to raise an additional $115,000 to replace the 9 sanctuary ceiling and restore interior finishes 9 Sanctuary Interior at First Congregational Church and stained glass windows. Photo credit: First Congregational Church On their own, the congregation mounted an Facebook impressive community outreach campaign. They did some basic genealogical research to identify living relatives of those who founded the church so they could reach out to them. In some cases they were able to say to a pros- pect that some of the stained glass windows in need of restoration had their family name embedded in them, encouraging donors’ Common Bond 4 5 Common Bond Recent grants resulting from Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation/New York Landmarks Conservancy Partnership: 01 02 03

03 The United Methodist Church of Bay Shore applied to the Conservancy mid-way through a $350,000 capital campaign, having already completed roof replacement, and repair and repainting of the church’s 1893 façades. With Gardiner Foundation funding, the Conservan- cy was able to provide a referral and grant of $6,000 to fund an assessment of dramatic paint failure at the pressed metal sanctuary ceiling and columns, to identify historic paint colors and a method to safely remove peeling paint and effectively repaint the sanctuary. The Conservancy also provided a second grant of $15,000 towards replacement of the flat roof at the mid-century, modern day care-nursery school wing. Top left: United 01 02 Methodist of Bay Shore. Top right: A class in After restoring their roof truss and sanctuary First Presbyterian Church, Southold, dating the pre-school wing of the church. A $15,000 in 2014-2015, First Congregational Church from 1803, requested a grant for steeple Conservancy-Gardiner grant helped fund of Riverhead raised an additional $20,000 in repair. Concerned that the contractor might a new roof to keep pre-schoolers safe and 2018 to restore the diamond-pane wood sash not be addressing underlying structural issues, dry. Middle left: Paint was peeling at pressed at their rear community wing (the original the Conservancy and Gardiner Foundation metal ceiling and walls. Bottom left: detail of 1841 chapel, shifted to the rear of the lot and referred the church to consultant Joel Sno- failing paint at sanctuary column. repurposed in 1909). With Gardiner Founda- dgrass, who advised on repairs to address tion funding, the Conservancy was able to severe rot at tower framing. Southold church provide a $4,000 grant towards this window leadership, Conservancy staff, and Kathryn project. Top, late 19th century diamond pane Curran met at church to discuss project man- windows; bottom, detail, makeshift patch at agement. With Gardiner Foundation support, deteriorated window muntin. the Conservancy provided an initial grant of $3,500 towards this steeple assessment. The thorough assessment enabled a second grant of $30,000 towards planned $160,000 repairs. Common Bond 6 7 Common Bond 04 05

04 05 The 212-acre campus of the Sisters of Joseph A press event at St. Paul’s United Methodist Motherhouse is a National Register-listed com- Church in Northport celebrated our first year plex constructed between 1901 and 1965, of Gardiner Foundation-Conservancy grant featuring a Spanish Mission Revival school, projects. St. Paul’s received a $35,000 grant for nursing-care and convent complex, and bell tower and window restoration. Romanesque chapel, all of buff brick with tile roofs, constructed between 1927 and 1933. The Sisters applied for a grant to help fund masonry repairs to the deteriorated brick façade of the Sacred Heart Chapel, a magnificent structure with a 90 foot campanile, and lavish sanctuary with Guastavino tiles, onyx altar, and carved alabaster windows. Conservancy staff and board members were concerned that the cause of severe step-cracking, likely foundation subsidence due to sub-surface soil conditions, was not being adequately addressed. With the help of Gardiner Founda- tion funding, the Conservancy pledged two grants: $10,000 for an engineering assessment and crack monitoring program, and $20,000 towards masonry repairs.

Common Bond 8 9 Common Bond Worship in the time of COVID-19: How Some NY Congregations are Responding By Mari S. Gold ing out weekly prepackaged bags of food at 1 1 3 Image credit: Tithe.ly the congregation’s doors. Christ & Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church lives- At Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, Rev- tream of services erend Dr. Calvin O. Butts says he finds preach- Photo Credit: Christ & Saint Stephen’s Episcopal ing to an empty church “a little difficult” but Church website “if the spirit comes I can present the word of 4 God.” Temple Concord Face- book page with online Abyssinian also live streams Bible study and service listings has organized Quarantips, a seminar via Photo Credit: Temple Concord Facebook Zoom, dealing with physical and mental health, navigating unemployment, financial 5 Abyssinian Baptist considerations and other practical topics. Church livestream 3 webpage 5 Photo Credit: Abyssinian Baptist Church website 4

The pandemic and accompanying social dis- 2 B’nai Jeshurun livestream tancing have disrupted many familiar parts of webpage screenshot life. Worship services are no exception. Many Photo credit: B’nai religious institutions are rising to the challenge, Jeshurun website meeting the needs of congregants in varied, creative ways relying largely on modern technology. Abyssinian is one of some two dozen churches B’nai Jeshurun is a Conservative synagogue that partnered with New York City as Covid-19 on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Rabbi tion-wide. Messages are mailed to members testing sites. These churches are in majori- Felicia Sol offers a Friday evening Zoom Shab- who do not have access to technology. ty-people-of-color communities, areas that bat service which is then live streamed to the have been especially hard by the virus. wider community. Saturday mornings there is Plymouth’s Monday Food Pantry has contin- a livestream Shabbat service for adults and 2 ued although now everything is pre-boxed. The Rev. John Kamas, Pastor at St. Jean Bap- a Facebook Live service for young families. evening Zoom prayers, weekly Zoom dis- tiste, a Roman Catholic parish on Manhattan’s Rabbi Sol is joined by Rabbi Matalong and cussions of spiritual readings and books and In Binghamton, Rabbi Barbara Goldman-War- Upper East Side, began streaming Mass on Hazzan (Cantor) Priven. “We pray together, weekly newsletters with recommendations tell at Temple Concord, a Reform synagogue, YouTube the week after Easter. “I’ve tried to standing six feet apart in an otherwise empty on books and music. Mother Liles also hosts a reports that they have been totally online do this a little differently,” he says, “by read- sanctuary,” Rabbi Sol said.” We are also doing weekly video highlighting features of the land- since the third week of the pandemic, using ing aloud the first part of the service and then funerals and shiva minyans (home prayer mark church. both Zoom and Facebook Live. She also notes moving to the altar. Our outreach has been services for mourners) via Zoom which is in- that volunteers have called every member to very well received, he added, with positive credibly important and meaningful for families In Syracuse, Rev. Eric Jackson of Plymouth check in, often more than once. comments on our website from people out- who are dealing with personal loss during the Congregational Church works to make ex- side our regular area including those from pandemic.” periences interactive. During Sunday services The Rabbi also hosts Tea with Rabbi B online New Jersey and Montana.” on Facebook, congregants write-in requests twice weekly and the Sisterhood president has The Rev. Kathleen Liles, Rector of Christ & Saint for special prayers. After the service, people a Sunday afternoon hour when people come Forest Home Chapel, a Methodist congrega- Stephen’s Episcopal Church, also on the Up- “see” each other and chat via Zoom. together to connect. Weekly emails include tion in Ithaca, opens Zoom a half hour before per West Side, shares an online Sunday wor- a prayer list, names of those who died in the the weekly 10 a.m. service for “visiting.” ship service complete with video readings and Plymouth frequently connects with parishio- past month and a list of those with anniversa- sermon, links to music, and images of works ners using email, sending one communication ries of death. Temple Concord continues to The Flushing Monthly Meeting in Queens wor- of art. There also are Sunday and Wednesday to youth and children and one congrega- work with CHOW, a mobile food pantry, hand- ships using Zoom. Jeffrey Guyton, a co-clerk Common Bond 10 11 Common Bond of the Meeting, reports that Zoom gatherings Rabbi Reinstein and his wife recently wel- University Presbyterian’s food pantry is hand- that 42% of people now worshipping online are “warm, friendly and spiritually resonant.” comed twin girls and held their baby naming ing out pre-packed bags from the kitchen win- said their faith had grown stronger. Virtual services are not typical for Quaker wor- ceremony online, inviting the entire congrega- dow and has seen the number of new clients ship, but, he observes “We are presently in a tion as well as family and friends. Other mem- increase. Many of the usual volunteers are in Fundraising, however, has proven problematic new world where personal reinforcement and bers of the congregation have held similar high risk groups and can no longer safely help. at many religious institutions since the pan- encouragement is needed more than ever.” ceremonies. But new volunteers have stepped in to meet demic shut down services. the need. 6 6 There are differences of opinion among Mus- Saint Ignatius of Antioch, an Episcopal church Virtual Sunday Worship lims about online worship. But Cordoba House, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, has a big 9 online announcement a Muslim non-profit dedicated to interfaith yellow PayPal button on its website’s home Virtual Meeting Space and Photo credit: Forest Home congregation engagement Chapel website dialogue, uses Zoom for prayer services and page. Rev. Dr. Andrew C. Blum discussed this Photo Credit: St. Bart’s the Sunday Religious School program. during a live-streamed Mass. “There were a website few glitches to work out due to our tax-ex- A funeral for a member who died from empt status, but these were overcome,” he Covid-19 was held via Zoom preceded by said. “Our present circumstance has called for a letter from Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf to the a lot of quick, creative thinking.” congregation providing details on how to participate. However, Naz Georgas of Cordoba House notes “Ramadan is a time when members 8 tend to donate generously.” Community members are asked to donate online af- 9 ter worship services like they would do in a Rabbi Sam Reinstein of Kol Israel, a modern mosque. Orthodox community in Crown Heights, Brook- Yeshe Nyingpo, a Buddhist temple on Man- lyn, explained that in Orthodox practice, work, hattan’s Lower East Side, is offering morning Fundraising is likely to remain a challenge. which includes the use of electronic devices, prayers on its Facebook page. Announce- As Duke University sociologist Mark Chaves, is prohibited during Saturday Sabbath worship ments are also made with email on holy days, director of the National Congregations Study, services, and on Jewish holidays. Instead, To- as well as for people who need “extra” help said in a recent Washington Post article, rah readings and other programs take place and for those who have died. “research from previous recessions show that on different days via Google Meets, which the their impact is mostly negative: People have synagogue used prior to the health crisis. 10 less money to give.” 10 Facebook Live announcement for virtual worship “On some level, everyone is more open with Religious institutions accept the reality of Photo Credit: Yeshe the use of technology,” he says. “For instance, dealing with the pandemic while hoping for Nyingpo Temple the size of classes like Torah study has doubled St. Bartholomew’s, an Episcopal Church in a more inclusive future. As John Swayne says, or even tripled and there is an uptick in con- midtown Manhattan, offers tips on its website “We make do because we must, but of course gregants asking religious questions.” for getting the most out of online worship. we can’t wait to get back to worshiping to- These include lighting a candle to create gether for real.” 7 7 a sense of centeredness, saying responses Virtual Shabbat announce- aloud, singing along and passing the plate ment digitally with an explanation of how to donate Photo credit: Congrega- tion Kol Israel website to the church. The church sends a weekly e-news about online gatherings such as a 8 Zoom Coffee hour, a knitting group, an LBGTQ Inaugural Online Khutbah livestream virtual brunch, meditation practice and other Photo credit: Cordoba meetings. Virtual worship is likely to continue at least House website in the near future. On May 1, The Rt. Rev. University Presbyterian Church in Buffalo sends Andrew Dietsche, Bishop of New York, an- a weekly email with prayers, bible passages nounced the continued suspension of public and a text of the sermon. John Swaine, a worship in the Episcopal Diocese of New York church Elder, says they also provide video links until July 1. to the sermon, and links to the music director playing piano or organ on YouTube. But online worship has some upsides. A Pew Research Survey conducted in April found Common Bond 12 13 Common Bond 2 2 Restoration Sends a Message Stuyvesant Heights Christian Church historic window pre-restoration

of Hope to a Community By Mari S. Gold Reverend Sharon Codner-Walker has been Conservancy awarded an initial grant of the Senior Pastor of Stuyvesant Heights Chris- $3,500 to fund project management of urgent tian Church in Brooklyn’s Bedford Stuyvesant rear chapel roof replacement (ultimately neighborhood since September, 2018. Among guiding the congregation through a $43,000 the challenges facing Rev. Codner-Walk- project) as well as funding a hands-on inves- er in this new posting were many years of tigation of the severely deteriorated, monu- deferred maintenance at this large church mental wood tracery window at the Tompkins facility, comprised of a Sunday School Chapel Avenue side of the building. The window building, now a day care center, and a large investigation, performed with a hydraulic lift, corner sanctuary building, all dating from confirmed severe rot requiring window re- 1873-1874. The Victorian Gothic complex is in placement rather than repair, a likely $250,000 a New York City landmark historic district, so to $300,000 project. Initially, the Conservancy all exterior repairs need to be reviewed and proposed shoring the rotted window in place approved by the City’s Landmarks Preserva- to prevent a catastrophic collapse while tion Commission. fundraising went on. Shoring would have cost $30,000, a big number for a temporary “band- Two areas of great concern were a leaking aid.” roof at the day care center building – immediately above an infant changing table – and a Fortunately, the congregation secured a loan monumental, 36’ high window overlooking a from their denomination, as well as a substan- busy street, so rotted that chunks of wood had tial loan from a member, and was successful begun raining onto the sidewalk. Rev. Cod- in fundraising. This enabled the congregation ner-Walker contacted the Landmarks Com- to pursue immediate window replacement mission, and they directed her to the Conser- instead of the costly interim measure. The vancy’s Sacred Sites program. After meeting Conservancy referred the church to Sunlites with Landmarks Commission staff and Rev. Stained Glass Studio for a proposal to address Codner-Walker at the church in mid-October, the original, stenciled stained glass compo- the Conservancy provided referrals to roofing nents of the window assembly, and in April consultant Russ Watsky and Paul Mulcahy of 2019, the Conservancy awarded a second PM Restorations/Right Path Construction, a grant of $30,000 towards in-kind replacement custom wood window company. of this monumental wood window, and stabi- lization of the original, stenciled stained glass In December, 2018, The New York Landmarks windows. 1 1 Stuyvesant Heights Christian Church

Common Bond 14 15 Common Bond community outreach Thanksgiving meal with 3 3 4 6 5 Roofing Consultant Russ 100 attendees, and holiday coat and toy Historic stained glass Watsky (left) inspecting drives. Altogether, community outreach pro- window interior view Chapel/Day Care Center grams serve 3,500 individuals. rear roof 6 Right Paths Windows 4 “I’m delighted that in the two years I’ve been and Doors principal Stuyvesant Heights here, our congregation has increased by over Paul Mulcahy inspecting Christian Church Day 65 members,” Rev. Codner-Walker said. “It’s windows Care Center interior also a point of pride that the Boy Scouts once again hold troop meetings here.”

“The church had ceased to be mission-driv- en,” Rev. Codner-Walker observed. “Now we have embraced several programs. The An- gel Tree program helps incarcerated people Proposals were finalized and authorized in “This restoration work is important far beyond connect with their children, delivering mes- June and work began over the summer. the physical results,” says Rev. Codner- Walker. sages from parents in prison to their families, “It’s a message of hope to the community.” and arranging the delivery of gifts to mark Rev. Codner-Walker and several trustees special occasions. We are also connected made two visits to the stained glass studio in “Bedford Stuyvesant is an area with to the Disciples of Christ Home Mission which 7 7 the summer and fall to review the condition a lot of gang violence and random sends funds to help rebuild houses that have Historic window condi- of the original, stenciled stained glass and to shootings”, she continued. At the same been flooded or destroyed in some other way. tion prior to restoration, discuss needed repairs with studio principal time, the neighborhood is undergoing The actual homes may be far from us geo- detail of weather rotted Patrick Clark. Rather than simply stabilize the gentrification with new buildings being built, graphically but the energy connects us.” The mullion most intact windows, leaving the remaining in effect making it an area that is no longer newly restored window is a visible sign to both windows crated in storage for future re-instal- economically accessible to many. “But our congregation and neighborhood, symbolizing lation, the church authorized an additional church is still here,” she emphasizes. “It had the congregation’s renewal. $64,000 in stained glass restoration, including been kept poorly and was falling apart. But partial re-leading and replication and re- this restoration sends a message of renewed 5 placement of missing or severely deteriorated life. It tells people that even if we have little or glass sections. Altogether, window restoration no means we are unwilling to allow our voices costs totaled more than $295,000. In Novem- to fade and to allow meaningful worship, ber the window fabricator started to install the culture and generational memories to fade or replacement window; once installed, stained die.” glass installation followed. The goal was to substantially complete installation by Christ- In addition to worship services on Sundays 8 8 mas, 2019; however, as with many major con- with roughly 200 attending and Bible Study Stained glass undergoing struction projects, it was January before win- on Wednesday evenings, the church hosts restoration dow installation was complete, and this was a five-day per week pre-school and day- followed by a month of plaster repairs at the care center, housed in its former Sunday window jamb. Just as now-restored stained School chapel, with 40 students, as well as glass panels were to have been installed in a weekday after-school center for students March, the Covid-19 virus emergency caused aged four to 12 with 40 students. A bi-monthly all construction to cease. Work resumed, and food pantry program serves 85 to 125 clients was successfully completed in June, as New every other Thursday. A young adult outreach York City began a phased reopening. program serves 30 participants monthly, and the Saturday “Forever Young” program This is just one of three monumental sanctuary serves 40 seniors weekly. The church hosts windows in need of substantial replacement/ monthly clothing drives for Dress for Success, restoration. It was the most dangerously de- with 40 participants; a semi-annual health teriorated and located just above the side- symposium with 125 to 200 participants, and a walk. A second, identical window overlooks a semi-annual mental health certificate training rear-yard alley; and the third window is at the program with 35-50 trainees. The church also balcony level, above the entrance porch. hosts several annual programs, including a Common Bond 16 17 Common Bond 12 12 Restored window

9 9 Historic stained glass undergoing restoration

10 10 Meeting with Rev. Codner-Walker (2nd from right), church board members, and stained glass studio principal Patrick Clark (3rd from left) reviewing window restoration plans

11 11 Window fabricator, Paul Mulcahy (left) and stained glass studio principal, Patrick Clark (right) discussing how restored stained glass will be installed within the newly installed window

Common Bond 18 19 Common Bond 1

ONE OF AMERICA’S OLDEST MOSQUES MOSLEM MOSQUE WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN

By Claire Cancilla

Claire Cancilla received an M.S. in Historic Preservation from Columbia in May 2020. This article was ex- cerpted from her National Register nomination for the mosque, submitted for Prof. Andrew S. Dolkart’s “National Register Nomi- nations” class.

Common Bond 20 21 Common Bond The Lipka Tatars, already a small group in their 1 2 6 4 Moslem Mosque, Wil- hometowns, comprised an even smaller group Second Floor Sanctuary liamsburg, Brooklyn in Williamsburg, and the Moslem Mosque Photo Credit: Claire Photo Credit: Joey became an important bridge for those who Cancilla O’Loughlin immigrated to the United States. The mosque’s 5 2 leadership altered the interior and exterior of Replacement roof cupola Moslem Mosque the former church to reflect their memories of streetscape the European Tatar mosques they left behind, 6 Photo Credit: Claire Kruszyniany Mosque, Cancilla which were generally square-plan wood- Poland en structures with a hip roof and a cupola. Photo Credit: Wikipedia While the original wood cornice on the gable roof, featuring pairs of elaborately carved Italianate wooden brackets, bead-and-reel molding, and a paneled frieze, remains, the original wood spire at the rooftop fleche was replaced with a cupola and crescent finial. On the interior, the first-floor entrance vestibule and social hall was re-sided with wood panels, intended to reference the wooden mosques 1 No New York City mosque has ever been Tatars to help defend the pagan Dutchy from found in Lithuania, Belarus, and Poland. Footnote 7 7 Aysha Khan, “Brooklyn listed on the National Register of Historic crusading Teutonic Knights. The Lipka Tatars, Mosque in Iwie, Belarus Muslims Document their Places, although there has been a Muslim viewed as effective warriors and loyal sub- 4 Photo Credit: Wikipedia Past and Present in New community here since the 17th Century. That jects, settled in the multicultural Duchy, where Oral History Project,” is about to be remedied, as the state historic they lived and worked alongside Catholic, 2 Religion News Service, Footnote December 7th, 2018, preservation office is currently reviewing the Eastern Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Jewish and Ryan Schuessler, “How 16 https://religionnews. nomination of New York City’s oldest stand- Karaim communities for centuries. Americans Found Family, com/2018/12/07/brook- ing mosque, which sits on a quiet residential Faith and Their Immigrant Roots — Generations Af- lyn-muslims-document- block in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.1 A simple, Little is known about Lipka Tatar emigration their-past-and-present-in- ter their Parents Left Their new-oral-history-project/. rectangular, gable-fronted, two-story, wood- to the United States. While historians have Homelands,” The World, frame structure with vernacular Italianate and portrayed anti-Muslim violence against the Nov. 22, 2018 Gothic Revival elements, the Moslem Mosque Tatars of central Europe as a post-World War I https://www.pri.org/ stories/2018-11-22/ was designed by Williamsburg architect O.H phenomenon, Lipka Tatar descendants in the how-16-americans-found- Doolittle and originally constructed in 1886 United States have said that their ancestors family-faith-and-their- as a Methodist Church. The American Mo- were fleeing pogroms at the end of the 19th immigrant-roots-genera- hammedan Society, the oldest Islamic orga- Century. Whether or not the pogroms were tions-after. nization formed in the United States, bought specifically aimed at the Tatar population, the the building in 1931 and transformed it into a effects of violence against religious minorities mosque that reminded its congregants of their likely encouraged emigration to the United

homelands in what are now Lithuania, Belarus, States. Like many other immigrants to the The Powers Street mosque connects an early 3 5 Footnote and Poland. United States, the Tatars may also have been Muslim community in the United States with Vladimir Pankratov, V., seeking expanded freedom and economic more than 600 years of Lipka Tatar history in Litvinov, S., Kassian, The American Mohammedan Society was the opportunity. eastern Europe. Even before they purchased A. et al. “East Eurasian successor organization to the Lithuanian Tatar land for their own mosques, Brooklyn’s Lip- Ancestry in the Middle 3 3 of Europe: Genetic Foot- Second Floor Sanctuary Society, formed in 1907 by Lipka Tatars. Al- ka Tatars contributed funds to renovate the prints of Steppe Nomads Photo Credit: Claire though the term “Tatars” generically refers to mosque in Ivje, Belarus, the town from which in the Genomes of Cancilla Turkic-speaking Sunni Muslims, it also includes many had emigrated.2 The Lipka Tatar popu- Belarusian Lipka Tatars.” the Turkic–Muslim population of historical Lith- lation of approximately 12,000 is now spread Nature, 2016, https://www.nature.com/ uania. This population migrated to the Duchy throughout southern Lithuania, northeastern articles/srep30197. of Lithuania starting in the mid-14th Century. Poland and northwestern Belarus.3 While there The first Lipka Tatar residents were political were still twenty-five mosques in Lithuania on refugees, escaping from disputes within the the eve of World War I, only three remain — Mongol Empire’s Golden Horde. In 1397, the one in Keturiasdesimt Totoriu, 12 miles south of Duchy’s ruler, Grand Duke Vytautus, recruited Vilnius, and the other two in the nearby village of Nemezis. Seven miles southeast of Common Bond 22 23 Common Bond Vilnius, and Raiziai, 55 miles southwest of Vilni- 8 8 Double exterior staircase us. Four others are located in the northeastern Photo Credit: Polish settlements of Kruszyniani and Bohoniki, Islamicana.com, 2014 along the Belarus border about 30 miles east Footnote 4 of Bialystok and 150 miles northeast of War- Hussain, “The Amazing saw; and the Belarusian towns of Navahru- Survival of the Baltic dak and Iwie, 100 to 120 miles farther east.4 Muslims,” BBC World The Powers Street mosque resembles these Magazine, January 1st, 2016. mosques, by the intention of its members, and creates a direct link with Tatars living in Europe.

5 The Powers Street mosque is not just a link to Footnote “Mahometans to Open the Tartars’ homeland, however. It is also a Fast of Ramadan Today,” physical representation of how this commu- The New York Herald nity socialized, worshiped, and adapted to Tribune, November 5th, life in the United States. When the mosque 1937; James Simonds 6 first opened its doors, its role as a social and Footnote religious center was apparent – one to two “A Record for the Church- es,” The Brooklyn Daily hundred congregants would typically gather Eagle, May 25th, 1934. for Friday night services. While the vast ma- jority of the congregation were Lipka Tatars, congregants from Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Afghan- istan, and Albania also worshipped there.5 The 9 9 Neighboring historic mosque continued to grow, from about 200 parsonage regular members in 1931 to more than 400 by the 1950s, providing a place for the community, particularly new immigrants, to gather and support one another.6 Throughout the 1960s, the mosque still bustled with social and 212-414-4500 7 Footnote religious activity.7 Immigration by Lipka Tatars 226 West 26th Street, 5th Floor New York, N.Y 10001 Ryan Schuessler, “They to the United States largely ceased during www.adparchitects.com Gave Her the Keys to the Mosque – and Now the Cold War, however, and in succeeding She Wants to Open its years, attendance at the mosque declined Doors to the Neigh- as many members of the next generation of borhood,” The World, congregants moved to other New York neigh- December 12th, 2016, 8 https://www.pri.org/ borhoods or out of the city entirely. Although stories/2016-12-12/they- much of the Tatar community that grew in gave-her-keys-mosque- Williamsburg has dispersed across New York and-now-she-wants-open- and the country, the mosque, including its its-doors-neighborhood. 8 alterations since its construction in 1886, serves Footnote as an important physical connection to the Ibid. history of the Lipka Tatars. Today, descendants of the founding families from throughout the Northeast continue to gather here to cel- ebrate major holidays and life cycle events, and open their doors to share the story of their community with visitors.

Common Bond 24 25 Common Bond 1

KINDRED OPEN HOUSES - A Similar Sacred Sites Open House Program in Canada

By Mari S. Gold

Common Bond 26 27 Common Bond In this 10th anniversary year of the New York Québec’s religious buildings have been 1. Prior Page 01 Now Bibliothèque Félicité-An- Landmarks Conservancy’s Sacred Sites Open 3 repurposed in various ways. The Église Saint- Tadoussac Chapel gers, Neuville Photo Credit: Marie-Josée House, it was exciting to learn that there is a François-de-Sales in Neuville outside Québec Deschênes program in Québec similar to ours! City was converted into a library, the Bib- liothèque Félicité-Angers; Église Sainte-Élis- 1.3 - After We were consulted by Journée du Patrimoine abeth-de-Hongrie in Warwick is now an Religieux (Religious Heritage Days Open artisanal cheesemaker, Le Fromagerie du House), a program of the Conseil du Patri- Presbytère; and the former St. James Church moine Religieux du Québec (The Québec in Trois-Rivières was converted by the city into Religious Heritage Council), inquiring how we an artistic and cultural center. plan and manage our event. The Religious * Project Link: Heritage Council is a Québec-wide non-profit *For more information and project details, https://www.cultur3r. organization with a mission of supporting and please check the link in the margins. com/lieux/eglise-st- promoting the conservation and enhance- james/ ment of Québec’s religious heritage. 01 Before Église Saint-François- The Canadian open house was launched de-Sales, Neuville in 2018 with 25 sites, increasing in 2019 to 70 1.1-2.2 sites. In both years all sites were located in 1.1 - Before Photo Credit: Québec Religious Heritage Montréal. In 2020, the 25th anniversary of the “Our open house program builds on existing Council parent organization, the plan is to expand to events like Journée de la Culture (Culture the entire province of Québec. Days) that focus on heritage sites in gener- al and Portes Ouvertes sur les Fermes (Farm 02 Before Église Sainte-Élisa- 2 2 Days), an Open House for farms. We are now beth-de-Hongrie, Warwick Guided Tour, 2018, The looking at other Francophone countries to see Church of the Gesù, Mon- what they do to promote their religious and tréal, 1864-1865, Patrick cultural heritage and possibly emulate some 2.1 - Before Keely, architect Photo Credit: Québec Re- of their ideas,” Piper added. ligious Heritage Council 3 Unlike the Landmarks Conservancy, the Con- Guided Tour, 2019, seil du Patrimoine Religieux du Québec does Temple Thiru Murugan, not have a publication like Common Bond but Dollard-des-Ormeaux, covers topics relevant to heritage and conser- Montréal, 1995, enlarged 2003-2006, designed by 9 vation in an annual 3-day conference called Indian architects the Forum sur le Patrimoine Religieux (Forum Photo Credit: Québec on Religious Heritage.) The forum has a differ- Religious Heritage ent theme each year with last year’s event Council focusing on the role of municipalities. 1.2 - Before

The Council operates through the Provincial Ministry of Culture and Communications which is also the main source of their funding. In In 2019 approximately 10,000 visitors partici- addition to the annual Religious Heritage Days pated, drawn by the organization’s Facebook Open House, the Québec Religious Heritage page, website and publicity via traditional Council hosts an annual awards program, 2.2 - Before media such as newspapers and television and provides grants to historic religious sites news through which they garnered “lots of for restoration. In the past, total funding has positive press,” according to Cameron Piper, been $15 million (Canadian) each year but, in Conseiller en Patrimoine (Cultural Heritage Ad- 2019-2020, the amount increases to $20 million visor). A brochure was designed, printed and (or about $14.23 million U.S.) with the addition- inserted on a paid basis into selected editions al monies directed to religious buildings that of local newspapers and distributed to libraries are to be used for a new purpose. and cultural centers in Montréal.

Common Bond 28 29 Common Bond of worship must have been built before 1945 02 Now Le Fromagerie du Pres- 03 Before St. James Church, 3.4-3.5 3.4 - After and be classified as an A, B, or C; be built bytère, Warwick Trois-Rivières Photo Credit: Culture before 1975 and be classified as an A; or listed Trois-Rivières as a heritage site at the provincial level, in 2.3-2.5 2.3 - After 3.1 - Before which case it is eligible regardless of its score. Photo Credit: Québec Ranking takes into account scores assigned to Religious Heritage Council the interior, exterior, historical significance and other factors including population density and 3.1 Photo Credit: Robert how many houses of worship are in a region Cutts –even so, scores alone do not determine how 3.2 grants will be distributed but play a role in Photo Credit: Graham prioritization. Hughes, The Canadian Press The Québec grant program differs from the 3.3 Conservancy’s Sacred Sites Program in several Photo Credit: Culture ways. The source of Council funds is public, Trois-Rivières while the Conservancy’s grants are funded via individual donors and foundations. The Coun- cil funds restoration on both the interiors and exteriors of religious buildings while the Conser- 3.5 - After vancy’s Sacred Sites program, with a regrant- ing budget much smaller than the Québec program, funds only exterior restoration and 2.4 - After 3.2 - Before structural repairs. The Council also funds restoration of church organs and has done so since 1995, while the Conservancy can only advise and refer on organ projects [http://nylandmarks.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ CommonBondv28.pdf]. To date, 63 organ restorations have been made possible with two more in progress. Funding for organ restoration work thus far totals $5,205,117 (Canadian).

Despite the difference in program scale, it was gratifying to learn that Québec’s Reli- gious Heritage Days program had much in common with the Conservancy’s Sacred Sites Open House. We were pleased to learn that the Conservancy’s Sacred Sites Open House The Council’s new program to facilitate adap- attracts a similar number of visitors, and it was tive use provides grants to municipalities and an honor to share technical advice on how nonprofits to fund up to 75% of the costs of the Conservancy’s sites are identified, and 2.5 - After 03 Still St. James Church, conditions assessments, business plan devel- how our sites register their participation. We opment, and other preliminary planning costs look forward to collaborating with the Council Trois-Rivières in an initial, incubator phase; and provides program in the years to come. grants to fund up to 50% of both architectural 3.3 - After fees and construction costs to adapt religious For more on the Conseil du Patrimoine buildings to new community uses in a second Religieux du Québec, visit phase of funding. http://www.patrimoine-religieux.qc.ca/

Québec ranks its historic (45 years old or more; currently, pre-1975) sites as A (essential), B (exceptional), C (superior), D (average) or E (low). To be eligible for grant funding, a place Common Bond 30 31 Common Bond Brooklyn Tabernacle Temple Emanu-El The historic Loew’s Metropolitan Theater transformed into the Non-Denominational Brooklyn The exquisite Temple Emanu-El on East 65th Street in Manhattan, (L)mosaic undergoing resto- Tabernacle Church with paint and prayers. (L)Lobby mural being created in studio, and (R) ration, and (R)fully restored (2006) completed lobby. (2002) CELEBRATING ALL FAITHS: Highlighting Diverse Restorations for NYC Sacred Sites Courtesy EverGreene Architectural Arts

“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” Trinity Episcopal Church Restoration of the historic Trinity Wall Street, (L)photo of gilding restoration, and (R)restoration - Exodus 25:8-9 complete at reredos (2019)

Evergreene Architectural Arts is the nation’s largest specialty contractor for architectural arts, and a long time supporter of the Sacred Sites Open House, contributing annually to the Common Bond magazine.

All photos in this article are credited to the Ever- greene Architectural Arts Team.

For more information on their work, follow this link: evergreene.com Christ Church United Methodist St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church The restoration of this Park Avenue treasure is currently underway! (L)Interior before (Credit: Jer- Comprehensive restoration of the plaster, paint murals and marble at St. Francis Xavier where emy Seto), and (R)restoration of Guastavino tile ceiling (2020) over 100 years of incense, candle soot, and dirt had darkened Patrick Keely’s stunning interior, (L)mural undergoing restoration, and (R)completed ceiling restoration (2010) Common Bond 32 33 Common Bond Helping Protect Our Sacred Sites from Fire By Chris Marrion, PE

managed. • Limited onsite resources to support fire- Christopher Overview Fires and Vulnerabilities During 1 Marrion Our sacred sites have always been vulnera- fighting efforts – it is important the fire Restoration/Renovation/Construction Serbian Orthodox Ca- is the Founder of Marrion ble to fire. Throughout New York, fires have • Significant Quantities of Combustible department is notified immediately, and Restoration, renovation, and construction-re- thedral of St. Sava, New Fire & Risk Consulting devastated our sacred sites over the centuries, Materials are Present – this includes com- before the fire gets too large, so they can York, NY – On May 1, and specializes in pro- lated work at Sacred Sites create numerous and continue to this day, including fires in re- bustible interior finishes (i.e. wood, fabrics, rapidly get to the site and into the building 2016 a fire occurred at tecting our Sacred Sites additional fire safety issues beyond those not- the Serbian Orthodox and cultural heritage from cent years at the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral etc), furnishings, and exposed combustible to the location of the fire, hopefully within ed above and lead to a significant amount Cathedral of St Sava. The fire and disasters. Chris of St Sava, the Cathedral Church of St. John structures, as well as storage of combus- a protected, fire rated stairway. On site of fires during these efforts. During this period, fire was apparently started holds a Master’s Degree the Divine, Central Synagogue, Congregation tible materials (i.e. papers, furniture, etc.) equipment including enclosed stairways, by candles that were in Fire Engineering. new ignition sources are typically introduced Kehilath Jeshurun, and Beth Hamedrash Ha- which can build up over time. standpipes, fire hoses, fire pumps, and not fully extinguished within the building (e.g. welding, soldering, when put away, and after He is a Special Expert for godol Synagogue to name a few. adequate water supplies are not often blow torches to remove paint, re-roofing, delayed detection and NFPA, a Board Member • No Early Detection - early detection of a available though, and adversely impact temporary equipment, temporary high tem- notification of emergency of the National Fire Her- The recent fire at Notre Dame Cathedral fire is critical to successfully controlling a firefighters’ ability to reach and rapidly responders, water is just itage Center, past Board perature lights, etc.), as well as potentially reminds us of how vulnerable our Sacred Sites fire due to how rapidly fires grow. Howev- extinguish a fire. Delays in notification, -ac starting to be put on the Member for ICOMOS-US significant quantities of combustible materials, Cathedral that is totally and an SFPE Fellow. are to fire, and offers an opportunity to reflect er, fires frequently grow undetected since cess to the site and determining the specif- including scaffolding, plywood barriers, paints, engulfed in flames as they on the many measures that can be imple- there is often: no automatic fire detection ic location of the fire can allow the fire to cleaners, and other construction related start these suppression For over 30 years he has mented to help both: a) limit the potential system to help detect a fire, detectors are grow and force the firefighters to fight the operations. (See Ref 1) worked with numerous materials and debris, thus increasing chances for fires to start, and b) limit how devastat- not located throughout all areas, and/ fire from outside, rather than from within. Note the entire interior is private and public entities for ignition, as well as more rapid spread of fire consumed by fire, flames including UNESCO, ing these fires may become once started. A or the system is not designed to automat- due to the additional combustible materials. are extending out of the UNISDR, ICCROM, number of these safety measures are quite ically call emergency responders once it 1 windows, and have pen- ICOMOS, et al. His work low cost yet are very effective and have a detects a fire. This leads to significant -de etrated the roof structure focuses on providing During these times fire safety systems including significant impact to help improve safety and lays in notifying occupants, site managers with roof beams visible risk-informed, cost-effec- the fire alarm and sprinkler systems may be and initial fire trucks tive prevention/mitigation, protect and preserve our Sacred Sites. and fire department personnel, while the undergoing installation or upgrades or may starting to arrive, set up emergency response and fire continues to grow exponentially and be turned off while they are being renovated, and discharge water. recovery strategies to spread throughout the site. so detection may be delayed. Furthermore, Photo Credit: Anindya protect our Sacred Sites, Fire Related Challenges Ghose/AP Images with projects often taking To help in creating effective solutions to pro- doors which help slow fire/smoke spread may him from New York to tect our Sacred Sites, it is helpful to understand • No Automatic Suppression Systems. Auto- have been removed to be restored or are India to South America to some of the issues surrounding these fires, in- matic fire suppression systems (i.e. sprin- blocked open to facilitate access. Holes are Mongolia and the outer klers, water mist systems) help keep a fire reaches of Bhutan. cluding how they start, and why they become often made in walls to introduce new HVAC so devastating. In researching past fires, com- very small and limit rapid spread prior to and piping, creating additional pathways for mon themes begin to emerge regarding what the fire department being notified, and smoke and fire to readily spread not only on went wrong and how these fires were able during the time for them to arrive, locate the floor, but to floors above and below as to create so much damage. These common the fire and begin putting water on it. well. Response of the fire department can themes include: Fire suppression systems also help protect also be further delayed onto the site and remote and difficult to access spaces (i.e. getting their equipment near the building due • Numerous ignition sources are typically attics, cellars, etc.) where firefighters may to construction related fencing, material stor- present- these include: be putting their lives at risk if they were age, dumpsters, and equipment. Protected - open flames (i.e., candles, incense, to enter these confined, high challenge exit stairways to provide safe access to upper etc.) 2 2 spaces that can be filled with significant floors may not be available due to removed, Serbian Orthodox Ca- - electrical systems, (i.e. old wiring, quantities of smoke and heat, and cannot blocked, or open doors or may contain thedral of St Sava, New circuit breakers, junction boxes, etc.) be readily ventilated. This often results in construction materials and temporary wiring York, NY – what remains - lighting systems, (i.e. high tempera of the Cathedral following requiring the fire department to fight the or piping. All of these add up and further ture lights, old wiring/sockets, etc.) the fire of May 1, 2016. fire from outside, rather than inside. increase the time to start putting water on the Photo Credit: Brendan - appliances (i.e. space heaters, cook fire, while the fire spreads exponentially each McDermid/REUTERS/ ing equipment, etc.), • Limited/impaired fire separations - it is minute. Newscom - temporary electrical equipment (e.g. important to contain fires and stop them high intensity lights, multiple extension from spreading from one room to anoth- Additionally, fire safety awareness that in- cords, etc.) er, as well as from one floor to the next. cludes education and on-going training of all - external (i.e. lightning, combustible However, holes in walls, doors removed or workers on site, undertaking on-going detailed vegetation, etc.) blocked open, open stairways, etc. readily risk assessments, providing appropriate pre- - intentionally set fires. enable fire and smoke to spread horizon- vention and mitigation measures even on a While it is not the intention to limit such tally and vertically beyond the area of temporary basis, are limited during this time, items as open flames and incense, it is origin, and throughout the rest of the build- and thus further increase the vulnerability of important to recognize the hazard they ing, making it significantly more challeng- the site while this work is undertaken. can present, so they can then be safely ing for firefighters to extinguish. Common Bond 34 35 Common Bond tually hear this beeping and then call the standards. They must pass strict pressure 3 3 Central Synagogue, fire department after potentially significant tests and are monitored for waterflow so if New York, NY - A delays. there is a leak, one would readily know. It fire occurred at Central should be noted that there are significant Synagogue on August • ‘Sprinklers will cause significant damage’ quantities of other pipes that carry water 28, 1998 during a period when the Synagogue was – Sprinklers automatically detect and throughout these buildings (i.e. pipes for undergoing restoration/ suppress fires early, before fires can grow plumbing, toilets, drains, etc) that actually renovations, apparently too large. All sprinklers do not go off at pose a greater risk to water damage and caused by a blowtorch once as seen in the movies. Sprinklers are often not addressed, but should be used during installation of an air conditioning operate by heat, not by smoke. Therefore, if there are concerns regarding potential system at roof level. (See only the sprinklers exposed to the higher water damage. Ref 2) Unfortunately, the temperatures near the fire may activate roof was destroyed, along (approximately 170 degrees F), and not • ‘Emergency responders will put a fire out with the choir loft, organ, prayer books and numer- all sprinklers. Each sprinkler that operates before it gets too large’- emergency re- ous other very valuable discharges approximately 20 gallons per sponders are experts in what they do and items of significance. minute (GPM) of water (a shower head will put the fire out eventually, however, Note the substantial discharges approximately 2.5 GPM). Water there may be extensive damage by the quantities of fire hose streams and water being mist systems use much less water and cre- time the fire starts and grows, is detect- discharged onto the Syn- ate a mist/fog through high pressure that ed, emergency responders are notified agogue, including most Misconceptions • ‘We never had a fire before’ – fires occur suppresses fires and helps limit the amount and respond, and eventually set up their coming from roof decks typically when something hot is in close of water used (less than 1GPM). These equipment and begin to extinguish it. Fires and through windows of There are numerous misconceptions around neighboring buildings fires and protecting Sacred Sites and historic proximity with something combustible. It automatic suppression systems require are not extinguished immediately upon over 12+ stories up, high- buildings. It is beneficial to further understand may be years, or even centuries, before quantities of water which are significantly detection, nor upon the arrival of emer- er than most fire ladders. these and helpful in making informed deci- such an occurance happens, but when it less than the 250 GPM discharged from gency responders, unfortunately. Due to Photo Credit: Stan Honda/ does, the fires will be substantial, causing each fire hose. Additionally, oftentimes the risks and challenges to life from fight- AFP via Getty Images sions to protect one’s Sacred Site: extensive, irreversible damage (e.g. Wind- there are numerous fire hoses (5-10+ hoses) ing fires from within historic structures, with • ‘Our building meets code and is ade- sor Castle was over 900 years old, Notre discharging water into/onto the building fires often in remote and difficult to access quately protected from fire’ – building Dame Cathedral over 650 years old, when at this rate, and for significant periods of locations, exterior fire extinguishing efforts code requirements typically focus on life fires occurred in their premises). If there time on the order of several hours, signifi- are usually preferred. Due to weatherproof safety (i.e. occupants, firefighters), and has not been a fire, please note it does cantly more than sprinklers, and at much roofs and walls, fighting a fire from the out- limiting fire spread to adjacent buildings so not mean a building is ‘fireproof’, nor that higher pressures creating more damage side also results in challenges, but is safer city-wide fires and conflagrations do not there will never be a fire there. than sprinklers. for firefighters. occur as they had in the past. This includes 3 substantial fires in New York City in 1776, • ‘Early Detection is Provided by the Existing • ‘There will be more water damage than • ‘Fire safety is expensive’ –cost comparisons 1835 and 1845. Therefore, codes may not Fire Alarm System’ - when fire safety sys- fire damage from sprinklers’ – the com- for fire safety are unfortunately typically address the specific challenges nor unique tems are required, they may not provide parison in this scenario is typically made made between ‘doing nothing’ versus needs often associated with Sacred Sites, the level of protection assumed or de- between no water damage and the ‘doing something’. However, the compari- including protecting not only the unique sired (i.e. codes often only require smoke impact of sprinkler water on the building son needs to incorporate: a) the significant structures, but also the contents and detectors in specific spaces/rooms, rather and contents. However, the comparison damage that often results from doing unique and sacred artifacts within, espe- than providing smoke detectors through- actually needs to be made between: nothing, versus b) the significantly reduced cially to the degree often desired and that out to help protect the overall building, a) water and fire damage in a sprinkler damage that results by providing fire may not be addressed per code. Addi- etc.). If a building ‘meets code’, or systems controlled fire, versus b) water and fire safety measures. There may be reduced tionally, vulnerable conditions that may were installed ‘to code’, the remaining damage from a non-sprinkler controlled insurance costs due to reducing risks that have been pre-existing, or were accept- questions include: where are these de- fire that would allow the fire to spread should be included in the comparison as able decades ago when the building was tectors located, how long will it take them throughout the building and needs to well. In terms of costs, rebuilding after built, can also be ‘grandfathered’, and to detect a fire in that location, and are include the tens of thousands of gallons a fire is very expensive, especially when at times not required to be upgraded. there spaces not protected with smoke of water discharged from firefighters over compared to the significantly lower cost of Hence, new fire safety systems and up- detectors that will result in substantial hours of firefighting efforts. Water related providing fire safety. There is also the per- grades may not always be retroactively delays in notifying emergency responders. damage is often repairable/recoverable, manent damage and loss of the structure required. Hazard assessments to determine Additionally, it is important to confirm if the however, damage from fire is typically and numerous items of religious signifi- specific issues and needs are thus not typi- fire alarm system automatically reports an not repairable. It is noted also that there cance, ornate interiors, original construc- cally undertaken, though are often need- alarm to the fire department, or just sounds are some concerns and misconceptions tion work, artwork and items of sentimental ed and beneficial in understanding what is a local beeping at the fire alarm panel in regarding sprinklers leaking. Sprinkler sys- value and significance. Additionally, there needed to reduce fire risks. the building, awaiting someone to even- tems have very specific design and testing are environmental impact costs, as with Common Bond 36 37 Common Bond the melting/vaporization of the lead roof procedures, evacuation plans, and train- • Developing a Fire Strategy 4 Photographic Evidence Namdaemun Gate, South of Notre Dame Cathedral. Hundreds of ing programs already developed. The A Fire Strategy helps consolidate all of the The following sets of photos provide visual Korea - On February tons of lead from the roof of Notre Dame consultant should also be fully aware of information and risk-informed decisions evidence of the common causes for fire in 10, 2008 South Korea’s were vaporized into the air, and deposited details and locations of all items of sig- into a tailored, logical, and focused stra- sacred sites. Each of the following examples National Treasure No. 1 into the Seine when the cathedral burned nificance that need to be specifically tegic plan to effectively address fire safety were gathered from an array of sacred sites was intentionally set on fire. Firefighters arrived in 2019. Fire safety should be considered protected, including items of religious issues. This Strategy provides details of all both in the United States and abroad. early on and thought the an ‘investment’, rather than a ‘cost’, in significance, artwork, and artifacts. This fire safety systems and features, including: fire was under control. protecting these structures and their in- first step greatly assists in understanding design criteria and how systems are to However, it unfortunately valuable and irreplaceable contents. the site-specific hazards, vulnerabilities that be designed and integrated to effective- re-ignited and the structure eventually collapsed. exist and potential opportunities to ad- ly work together to limit the fire risk; how Note the response of Helping Identify Next Steps to Protect dress these. the aesthetic and visual impact to the numerous emergency per- One’s Sacred Site from Fire historic fabric will be minimized; and how sonnel (360 firefighters) • Making Informed Decisions they meet the intent of the prescriptive and fire equipment, sub- There are a few important initial steps that To assist in making informed decisions in- codes. This Strategy also serves as a road- stantial quantities of fire should be undertaken, including to help un- hose streams and amount derstand the current fire risks, and to be able corporating the above findings, the fire ex- map in relation to identifying fire safety of water being discharged to make informed, logical decisions around pert should work closely with those at the procedures, evacuation management onto the flames, however, Sacred Site in further understanding issues procedures, testing and maintenance to no avail as the historic alternatives that are available, and through and concerns, objectives, intended uses plans, and training programs to support structure is unfortunate- these steps develop a logical, comprehensive, ly seen in the midst of and risk-informed strategy to prioritize and of spaces and maintaining their function- the overall Strategy and to ensure that collapsing even with these address the risks: ality (i.e. ceremonies, numbers of people, it is sustainable and effective on a long significant efforts and use of open flames, etc.) and understand- term basis. Phasing plans may be devel- resources. ing the maximum acceptable loss/extent oped if needed depending on needs and Photo Credit: AP Photo/ • Undertaking A Fire Risk Assessment Yonhap, Lee Sang-hak To assist in developing and being able to of damage allowed to the structure as resources. The Fire Strategy is intended to make risk-informed decisions to protect well as its contents should a fire start. Ap- be a dynamic document that is reviewed one’s Sacred Site, a fire engineering expert propriate fire safety measures and options and updated as necessary. with specific expertise in protecting Sacred available can then be developed and Sites and historic structures from fire and evaluated. Measures should be evaluated • Engaging with Local Emergency addressing their unique needs should be on their effectiveness in addressing fires, as Responders engaged. They should initially evaluate the well as their ability to achieve the intend- Local emergency responders have a fire hazards throughout the site and what ed objectives, limit impacts on the historic significant amount of beneficial knowl- currently exists to mitigate these hazards. fabric and aesthetics of the space, and edge. Additionally, working with them and This includes assessing ignition sources, their overall cost-effectiveness. This pro- familiarizing emergency responders with combustible materials, fire alarm systems, cess will help to determine how to effec- access into and throughout the Sacred sprinkler systems, fire separations, exits/ tively and efficiently protect one’s Sa- Site (including remote and hard to reach evacuation means, and resources for local cred Site, and how to prioritize next steps areas), existing fire safety systems, items firefighters, as well as any fire prevention through this risk-informed decision process. of religious and artistic significance that should be protected, locations of high hazard areas, and possible venting loca- 4 tions can help in their pre-planning efforts and strategizing how they would respond to a fire.

• Creating Awareness Through bringing together various stakeholders including those on site, community members, contractors, and emergency responders, it is possible to create further awareness around challenges and misconceptions and introduce fire prevention measures and opportunities to reduce fire risk. By collaborating, everyone can play a role in and help in protecting these Sacred Sites from fire.

Common Bond 38 39 Common Bond Forthcoming Sets of 4 Ignition Sources: Open Flames Ignition Sources: Lighting Ignition Sources: Electrical Systems Combustible Materials Images

Photo Credit: Chris Marrion

Ignition sources in Sacred Sites include open flames It is important to identify potential ignition sources, Electrical wiring presents additional sources for igni- There are often numerous items that are com- that are often are part of religious services and cer- including lights as some types of bulbs can produce tion, including old wiring, poor connections, hidden bustible, including the structure and its contents. emonies. As noted, it is not the intention to prevent extremely high temperatures. This includes perma- cabling in concealed/unvented areas, underrated Oftentimes, over the years, significant quantities their use, but rather to help manage them safely so nent and temporary spot lights and work lights. fuses, multiple extension cords, and temporary wir- of combustible materials, flammable/combustible they do not become an ignition source. Wiring, light sockets and interconnections to lighting ing and electrical equipment. liquids, etc. accumulate. It is also important to con- fixtures are all possible sources of ignition. Ensure sider exterior materials that can burn and further lights are not in close proximity to combustible ma- expose our Sacred Sites to external fires, including terials including curtains, drapes, furnishings, etc. combustible debris and vegetation that should be properly managed. Common Bond 40 41 Common Bond Detection + Alarm Systems Fire Separations Firefighting Summary Article References: Sacred Sites are susceptible to fires that can 1. ‘Candles May Have quickly become quite devastating. There are, Caused Fire That however, opportunities to reduce the proba- Gutted Serbian Church Officials Say’, New York bility of fires starting, as well as opportunities to Times, May 4, 2016. limit the extent of the fire further developing https://www.nytimes. and spreading throughout the site. Through com/2016/05/04/nyregion/ awareness of fire related challenges and mis- candles-may-have-caused- fire-that-gutted-serbian- conceptions, working closely with fire experts church-officials-say.html to undertake hazard assessments and devel- 2. ‘3 Years After Fire, oping a fire strategy based on risk-informed NYC Central Synagogue descisions, fire risks will be reduced in an to Reopen’, The Jewish News of Northern Califor- informed and cost-effective manner. Fire risk nia. September 4, 2001. during restoration and construction at a site https://www.jweekly. can be reduced through training, and use of com/2001/09/14/3-years- appropriate safety measures. after-fire-nyc-central-synagogue-to-reopen/ Christopher Marrion, PE, F-SFPE Managing Director/Founder Fire/Disaster Management Consultant

Marrion Fire & Risk Consulting PE, LLC, New York, USA [email protected] www.marrionconsulting.com 1.646.642.1265

Additional Resources: - ‘Protecting Our Cultural Icons from Fire’ (webinar), C Marrion MFRC, World Monuments Fund, AIANY Historic Buildings Committee, Nancy Rankin, JGW Architects, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHgmGFK- zy4g

- Como Podemos Ajudar a Proteger Ainda Mais Nosso Patrimônio Cultural de Fogo e Desastres, Instituto de Estudos Avançados da USP, US Embassy, ICOM, 2019, C Marrion

- ‘More Effectively Addressing Fire/Disaster Challenges to Protect Our Cultural Heritage’, Journal of Cultural Heritage (2016), C Marrion

- ‘Disaster Risk Management Overview for Museums and Cultural Heritage Sites’, IberMuseos, Risk Management Training Institute Proceedings, Brazil, 2011, C Marrion

- Making History Safe, Nat’l Fire Heritage Center, 2011, C Marrion https://fireheritageusa.org/newsletters?task=document.viewdoc&id=21 It is important to detect and notify occupants and Fire and smoke need to be contained to the area Delayed notification due to no/limited smoke de- of origin and not allowed to spread, which creates tection, no automatic connection between the fire emergency responders as early as possible. Fire - ‘Fire and Disaster Management Overview’, www.marri- alarm panels should be operational and automati- more damage and challenges for firefighters. Open alarm panel and the fire department to indicate onconsulting.com, 2019 cally notify local emergency responders. Detectors stairways, propped doors, and breaches in fire an alarm has occurred, no automatic suppression should not be covered over, and should ensure rated separations facilitate the rapid spread of fire, systems, locked gates/fences, no fire rated stair en- - A fire expert explains why historic buildings like No- they are still connected to the fire alarm panel and heat and smoke throughout a building. closures of appropriate width and challenges with tre-Dame Cathedral burn so easily, C Marrion, 2019, are operational, and required periodic testing and venting roofs due to various roofing materials (i.e. https://www.businessinsider.com/notre-dame-fire-cathe- maintenance are undertaken. Providing detectors slate, copper, lead, etc.) lead to larger fires upon dral-expert-historic-buildings-catch-fire-2019-4 throughout should be considered for early detec- arrival that are much more challenging to fight, of- Common Bond 42 tion and notification to emergency responders. ten requiring extinguishment from the exterior rather 43 Common Bond than from inside. OPENING DOORS: Accessibility in Historic Houses of Worship By Michael Doyle and Andy Liu Michael Doyle solution was to add a new door in the entry of the North East Jesuit Province and a large founded Archeson Doyle 1 vestibule, augmenting it with a new entry rectory residence completes the grouping of Partners Architects level. The three existing entry steps slam into this historic presence in this residential neigh- (ADP) with partner David Acheson in 1985, with the out-swinging doors, making entry difficult borhood. firm expertise on building for all congregants. Lula Urquhart, as project preservation, renovation manager and church council member, is guid- The Rev. Dennis Yesalonia became the new and rehabilitation for ing these improvements. She emphasized that Pastor in June 2016 and immediately fo- commercial, institutional, interiors, ecclesiastical, the restored façade, the accessible entry, and cused on the need for accessibility for those and residential projects. the newly fabricated bracketed door would who would join activities in the lower church contribute to a renewed presence that says, undercroft (Wallace Hall), to assist those in Andy Liu “Mt. Zion is Here! and will be for the commu- wheelchairs or those with limited mobility. joined Acheson Doyle as nity”. A sloped walkway from the new gate The church hired Acheson Doyle Partners to a junior designer in 2016, after graduating from opening on the upper end of the front fence review the entire facility to make the doors “as CUNY with a B.Arch. allows for an easy walk or wheelchair access open as possible” in tandem with his ongoing to the automatic door entry into the vestibule, and successful Parish campaign, known as while reconstructed steps and railings of the “Your Parish, Your Home” to fund this effort. existing entry allows for better use and ac- Accessibility became the core “ask” in the cess than the existing cramped outward door campaign with the benefit of added repairs swing. and restoration to the building fabric. 3 3 Mount Zion Lutheran Church rendering of 1 This past November, the New York Land- in the Preservation Community had the oppor updating front entrance St. Ignatius Loyola marks Conservancy, with program host the tunity to interact with these diverse faith com- accessibility and restored rendering of new exterior Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, the NYC Land- munities in their plans for a more welcoming historic fence elevator and accessibility marks Preservation Commission (LPC) and the presence for not only the different abilitied Image Credit: Acheson updates Doyle Partners Architects firm of Acheson Doyle Partners sponsored a community, but also the elderly and parents Image Credit: Acheson program called “Opening Doors: Accessibility with young children. Each congregation Doyle Partner Architects in Historic Houses of Worship” in the historic undercroft of St. Ignatius Loyola. The event required a different and unique architectural was well attended, and the presentation can response to address their needs. be found on Youtube (https://youtu.be/DVnu- BIX-Z98). Mount Zion Lutheran Church 2 2 Mount Zion Lutheran Acheson Doyle Partners has guided many Church historic tax credit New York congregations through restoration photo of exterior, ca. projects, including St. Bartholomew’s on Park The fence restoration and planting will facil- Wallace Hall is used for worship, ceremonial 1930-1940 Avenue, Beth Elohim in Park Slope and St. itate the corner park presence of this neigh- services, public greetings, celebrations, and Photo Credit: Acheson borhood treasure and “gateway” building to school assemblies. The formerly dark entry has Doyle Partner Architects Patrick’s Old Cathedral in Soho. For Common Bond, we will highlight three projects present- the long stretch of the historic Sugar Hill brown- been refreshed as a loggia, with daylight and ed, all with different scales and architectural stones along Convent Avenue. The work has historic stained glass through a generous gift challenges, to further our awareness of ap- been supported with an award of a $50,000 of a parish family. proaches to historic compatibility with accessi- grant from the Sacred Sites Program. The staff bility improvements. of both the Landmarks Conservancy and the Imposing monumental granite steps made for Landmarks Commission have been integrally a “big climb” up to the sanctuary level and A simple corbelled 1888 brick church on involved with their ongoing guidance and down almost two flights to the undercroft. a park-like corner in Sugar Hill, Harlem; An advice. With this circulation impediment, the archi- imposing limestone edifice on Park Avenue tects found that an exterior elevator location and a 1888 Bohemian gothic anomaly on St. Ignatius Loyola at a point of no impact to the art filled interiors East 74th Street, all with a common issue to The program size, congregation need, and St. Ignatius Loyola is an anchor of the Catholic was the most prudent solution. be addressed: How to integrate accessibility most importantly, the condition of Mount Zion community and Jesuit Religious Order on the and “welcome” to these historic and beloved Lutheran church called for immediate steps Upper East Side. The campus includes the An elevator was proposed to the LPC which local and civic landmarks. to correct cellar structural settlement and Basilica scaled church, a large parish house, a could access the main sanctuary of the restore the brick exterior before proposing and thriving grammar school and a successful, ex- church as well as the Wallace Hall undercroft Acheson Doyle Partners, having been active erecting an enhanced entry to the nave. The panding Jesuit high school. The headquarters from the sidewalk level. This small addition Common Bond 44 45 Common Bond was clad in the same tooled limestone which Episcopal Church of the Epiphany nature of the complex. No further easement predominates, similar windows, and a copper The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany with a beyond the existing stairs was required and in roof. Simple sensitive ramping at the school strong and active congregation has been lo- fact, the sidewalk area was slightly increased. and the Parish House within the existing iron cated on the corner of York Avenue and 74th Construction is underway and completion is gates solved access for these structures which Street in a Norman Gothic Style Church since expected in fall of 2022. The existing program 1944. The church was founded in 1833. both have interior elevators. of the church from the York Avenue location will be fully incorporated with a new Track With a substantial financial offer from the organ, pre-school program, and the continua- 4 4 St. Ignatius Loyola adjacent hospital complex for their current tion of the Burden Center for the Aging. rendering of new elevator property, the Vestry purchased the former programming Jan Hus Presbyterian Church Building around Mick Doyle, Principal of Acheson Doyle Part- Image Credit: Acheson the corner between York and First Avenues, ners Architects remarked, “throughout this Doyle Partner Architects whose congregation has also moved on. The work the leaders of these faith communities, Fr. congregation was the oldest Czech Presbyte- Yeslonia, Ms. Lula Urquhat, and Rev. Cole, saw rian congregation in the United States having the accessibility requirements as vital to their been founded in 1877. The church portion communities. Although their spiritual mission is was opened in 1888 and the parish house, their prime charism, they were acutely aware gymnasium and residential portion was com- of their religious and civic landmark pres- pleted in 1915. ence.”

The style has been referred to as Bohemian Gothic. The historic neighborhood of Yorkville was home to many German and Europe- an communities over the years. While the building is not a designated landmark, local voices were concerned about possibly drastic changes to the historic structure.

The vestry with its Pastor Roy Cole and its architect, Acheson Doyle Partners, met with the Landmarks Preservation Commission to review the planned alterations as a courtesy to assure the local stakeholders that the new Episcopal owners had every intention of curating and preserving this neighborhood’s landmark. Presentations were made to the Landmarks 5 5 Conservancy and the Friends of the Upper St. Ignatius Loyola final East Side Historic District to share the church’s rendering of accessibil- intentions. ity modifications and upgrades Image Credit: Acheson While the work was mainly restorative, the Doyle Partner Architects route into the existing building was totally inaccessible to a different abilitied person, as well as difficult for the able-bodied, with 9.5” risers on the existing stoop steps, and no elevator access to the newly programmed pre-school and parish house uses. In addition, the Burden Center program drop-in and lunch feeding program, in place for many years, would now be fully accessible. The entry stair was reconfigured for one exterior entry to the nave and sanctuary with an accessible entry from the sidewalk through the removed stoop location. One strategically placed program- mable and secured interior elevator facili- tated total building accessibility to the many different levels. Existing stonework and deco- rative iron fencing could be re-used and dupli- cated as required to complement the historic Common Bond 46 47 Common Bond SACRED SITES GRANTS

The Conservancy awards matching grants Westminster Presbyterian Church, Buffalo Fourth Universalist Society, Upper West Side 2 2 to congregations that are planning or un- $30,000 — Spire, Roof Repair & Repointing $40,000 — Exterior Facade & Slate Roof Resto- Congregation Tifereth dertaking the restoration of historic religious ration Israel, Corona, Queens properties. In 2019, the Sacred Sites program Genessee - $10,000 grant - pledged 48 grants totaling $602,500 to 45 re- First Baptist Church, Batavia Old Broadway Synagogue, Manhattanville foundation waterproofing. ligious institutions throughout New York State, $17,500 — Roof/Bell Tower Repair, Stained $5,000 — Structural Repairs leveraging over $8.7 million in repair and Glass Restoration & Masonry Work restoration projects. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church of Manhattan, East Greene Midtown To be eligible for our grant programs prop- Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Athens $7,500 — Roof, Gutters, Flashing, Skylight & erties must be located in New York State, $5,000 — Steeple Restoration, Brick Work, & Masonry Inspection owned by a religious institution, actively used Roof Repair for worship, and listed on the State or National Onondaga Register of Historic Places or designated pur- Hamilton Plymouth Congregational Church, Syracuse suant to a local landmarks ordinance. Eligible Church of the Transfiguration, Blue Mountain $9,000 — Stained Glass Window Restoration properties include churches, synagogues, Lake meetinghouses, mosques, and temples. $4,000 — Structural Repair & Restoration of Log Ontario Cladding Kings (Brooklyn) - Continued St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Geneva 2019 Grantees include: (listed by County, then Stuyvesant Heights Christian Church, $15,000 — Stained Glass Window Restoration City or Borough) Mountain Community Church, Lake Pleasant Bedford-Stuyvesant $5,000 — Shingle Repair & Stained Glass Resto- $30,000 — Monumental Stained Glass & Orange Bronx ration Tracery Window Restoration Baptist Temple Church, Newburgh Highbridge Community Church, Bronx $6,000 — Brick Masonry & Roof Repairs $6,000 — Roof Evaluation & Scope of Work for Kings (Brooklyn) Lewis Replacement Citadel Cathedral of Praise and Worship, Forest Presbyterian Church, Lyons Falls Calvary Presbyterian Church, Newburgh Cypress Hills $11,000 — Roof Replacement $10,000 — Schematic Design of Tower Resto- Broome $8,000 — Conditions Report for Tower & Roof ration Temple Concord, Binghamton Restoration Madison $30,000 — Portico, Terrace, & Chimney St. John’s Episcopal Church, Oneida First Presbyterian Church, Chester Restoration First Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn Heights $12,000 — Window Repairs & New Protective $6,000 — Roof, Steeple & Stair Repair $8,000 — Conditions Report, Masonry Scope, $10,000 — Window Restoration Glazing & Construction Documents Orleans South Bushwick Reformed Church, Bushwick Monroe Christ Episcopal Church, Albion Chenango $10,000 — Structural Conditions Assessment & Immanuel Baptist Church, Rochester $3,000 — Stained Glass Window Repair & Broad Street United Methodist Church, Attic Access $3,000 — Conditions Assessment Replacement Norwich 1 $30,000 — Tower Restoration 1 New Bethel CME Church, Rochester Ostego Christ United Methodist $7,500 — Construction Documents for Exterior First Baptist Church, Cooperstown Church, Troy - $6,000 grant to repair roof at First Baptist Church of Norwich Masonry Repair $2,000 — Site Drainage Improvements dormers. $9,000 — Roof Replacement St. Luke and St. Simon Cyrene Episcopal Queens Clinton Church, Rochester Congregation Tifereth Israel, Corona Peru Community Church $15,000 — Roof Replacement $10,000 — Perimeter Waterproofing $5,000 — Steeple Repair & Masonry Resto- ration New York (Manhattan) Rensselaer Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, Christ Church United Methodist, Troy Delaware Morningside Heights $6,000 — Slate Roof Repair & Repointing First Congregational Church, Walton $10,000 — Repair & Preservation of Great $14,000 — Window Restoration Bronze Doors and Surrounds Schenectady Christ Episcopal Church, Duanesburg Erie Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, United $7,000 — Conditions Survey St. John’s Grace Episcopal Church, Buffalo Methodist, Upper West Side $10,000 — Construction Documents for Slate & $30,000 — Roof Repair & Masonry Repointing Masonry Restoration Common Bond 48 49 Common Bond Suffolk Restoration • Conservation • Art • Preconstruction • Planning & Design Congregational Church of Patchogue $2,500 — Project Management $17,500 — Roof Repairs

First Presbyterian Church, East Hampton Eldridge Street $2,500 — Conditions Report Synagogue New York, NY First Presbyterian Church, Southold $30,000 — Facade & Steeple Restoration Designated in 1980

Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, Mt. Sinai $3,500 — Conditions Report

Sisters of St. Joseph Chapel, Brentwood $30,000 — Window, Masonry, Bell Tower & Roof Repair

United Methodist Church of Bay Shore $6,000 — Project Management for Roof Repairs & Sanctuary Paint Failure $15,000 — Roof Replacement

Sullivan Hebrew Congregation of Mountaindale Grace Church $10,000 — Roof Replacement Brooklyn, NY Westchester Designated in 1966 St. John’s Church, Getty Square, Yonkers $25,000 — South Clerestory Window Resto- ration

Yates Garrett Memorial Chapel, Keuka Park $15,000 — Bell Tower Repairs

3 3 Cathedral of the Plymouth Congregational Church, Syracuse - $9,000 Immaculate grant for stained glass restoration. Conception Albany, NY Designated NHRP 1976

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