Three historic Brooklyn churches are among 15 religious properties across New York State that will benefit from the Sacred Sites Grants awarded by the New York Landmarks Conservancy.
The funding will support crucial restoration projects, preserving these community landmarks, according to a press release.
Flatbush-Tompkins Congregational Church in Ditmas Park will receive $45,000 for masonry and roof flashing repairs. The church, an architectural gem of Colonial Revival design by Allen, Collens, & Jallade, serves as a vital community hub, hosting 12-step meetings, a food pantry, an emergency response center and a polling site.
St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Sunset Park, a Romanesque Revival-style church completed in 1905 by architect Raymond F. Almirall, was awarded $30,000. The grant will fund roof, parapet and gutter restoration for the church, which reaches the community through bilingual services and a weekly food pantry that serves about 250 people.
Holy Family-St. Thomas Aquinas in Park Slope will receive $15,000 to assist with masonry repairs, window restoration and gutter repairs. The parish, which dates back to 1885, extends its services to around 700 people through programs such as religious education, youth outreach and Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
The Sacred Sites Program, established in 1986, provides matching grants for exterior restoration projects. It has awarded nearly 1,700 grants totaling over $14.2 million to more than 850 religious institutions, helping fund over $760 million in repairs and restoration statewide.
“These grants support the preservation of landmark buildings that serve as vital anchors for their communities," said Peg Breen, president of The New York Landmarks Conservancy. "These 15 congregations reach nearly 140,000 people through programs addressing food insecurity, addiction, and social isolation, while also hosting important arts and cultural activities."
