A historic church in Flushing recently received grant funding from a program led by the New York Landmarks Conservancy.
St. George’s Episcopal Church, located at 135-32 38th Ave., received $23,000 as part of the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s 16 Sacred Sites Grants Program, which awarded $321,000 to 15 historic religious properties throughout New York State. The funding will support the restoration of the chapel roof and gutter of the historic religious site.
The Sacred Sites Grants Program provides congregations with matching grants for exterior restoration projects, technical assistance and workshops. Since 1986, the program has pledged nearly 1,700 grants totaling over $14.2 million to more than 850 religious institutions statewide, helping to fund over $760 million in repair and restoration projects for these historic sites.
St. George’s underwent many renovations throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Erected in 1853-1854, St. George’s Church is a notable example of Gothic Revival Architecture. In 1894, John King James designed a chancel wing, which contains the choir. In 1907-1908, prominent architect Charles Haight designed a parish hall and chapel wing to the southwestern portion of the sanctuary. In 1930 and 1937, New Jersey architect John C. Dodd upgraded the church, adding a larger parish hall and auditorium wing to the rear of the building. The churchyard includes an early burial ground retaining about 50 markers.
St. George’s has three multilingual congregations and supports the greater community through various activities, including counseling sessions, English-language classes, art exhibitions, musical events and after-school programs.
Peg Breen, President of the New York Landmarks Conservancy, explained that the grant program supports the preservation of historical landmarks vital to their local communities. “These 15 congregations reach almost 140,000 people in their areas with programs that address food insecurity, addiction and social isolation and serve as venues for important arts and cultural activities,” Breen said in a statement.
For over 50 years, the New York Landmarks Conservancy has worked to preserve the city’s architectural heritage through restoration projects.
Since its founding, the Conservancy has loaned and granted more than $62 million, giving almost $1 billion in nearly 2,000 restoration projects throughout New York.
The Conservancy has also volunteered to provide pro bono technical advice to building owners, including nonprofit organizations and individuals. Through its restoration and preservation initiatives, the Conservancy has saved more than 1,000 buildings across the city and state as part of its mission to protect New York’s unique architectural heritage.
