The Church of the Epiphany Adaptive Reuse Project Receives a Friends of the Upper East Side Award
MARCH 28, 2024
A historic adaptive reuse project completed by ADP Architects at the Church of the Epiphany was honored with the Exterior and Interior Renovation Award by the Friends of the Upper East Side at a ceremony held at the Cosmopolitan Club. The award-winning restoration and renovation effort of a 136-year-old Romanesque Revival building involved creating a new Sanctuary, day school, multi-purpose gymnasium, rooftop terrace, office space and commercial-grade kitchen equipped to support a neighborhood nonprofit food program serving over 1,000 meals daily to persons without homes and the elderly.
Project Facts:
Sector: Sacred
Location: New York, NY
Scope: Architectural Design and Planning; Historic Preservation
Project Type: Historic Adaptive Reuse; Exterior Restoration; Interior Renovation
Status: Completed
Formerly known as the Jan Hus Presbyterian Church, the 23,000 SF building was a cornerstone of New York’s immigrant Czech community and acquired by the Church of the Epiphany in 2019. The original building contained a church, school, neighborhood center and 150-seat theatre that welcomed legendary performers such as Barbra Streisand, Robin Williams and Jerry Seinfeld.
The Church of the Epiphany engaged ADP Architects to develop a master plan, lead an adaptive reuse effort, restore and stabilize the exterior masonry facade and undertake a complex interior renovation involving new HVAC and fire protection systems.
The design and renovation of the Sanctuary, altar and columbarium contained the most breathtaking elements of this historic renovation. Fourteen existing stained-glass windows were cleaned and repaired, and one replica was produced to complete the set. Another eight new stained-glass windows depicting biblical parables were fabricated for the space. Terrazzo tiles were installed at the nave, and two variations of travertine marble were carefully selected for the Sanctuary platform and altar floor. The team cleaned, refinished and gently modified the original ceiling and trusses to accommodate the new HVAC and sprinkler systems while maintaining the architectural integrity of the wooden elements. A 900-year-old baptismal font from France was carefully dismantled and gently cleaned, bringing it new life before relocating it to the new nave.
Although the Church of the Epiphany is not designated as a historic landmark, ADP Architects discussed all major design interventions with the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission and community groups. By re-imagining the interior program and Sanctuary, expanding access to the food service program and restoring the exterior façade, ADP Architects ensured this culturally significant space can be enjoyed by community members for the next century.
