Panico Provides Preservation Update On Historic Church Restoration

A more than 200-year-old Brookhaven landmark is moving closer to a major restoration aimed at preserving one of the town’s oldest surviving churches.

“The bid for renovation work on this property, shown here in a better day, was published on Monday, 8/31, and the bids are due back by Friday, 9/11 at 11am,” Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico said. “We are aiming to award this bid at the 9/17 Town Board Meeting.”

The project calls for a historic exterior restoration of the First Congregational Church in New Village on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove.

Work will include restoring the church’s existing wood windows and shutters and repairing deteriorated wood, masonry and exterior shingles. Contractors will also perform lead-safe surface preparation, repaint the exterior and make repairs designed to better protect the building from the elements while preserving its historic appearance.

The town officially advertised Bid #26038 on Aug. 31, with bids scheduled to be opened Sept. 11.

The specifications call for contractors experienced in historic restoration and include restoration of windows, doors, trim, fascia, soffits and wood-shingle siding, along with selective masonry repairs and other weather-protection work.

The project represents the latest effort to preserve a building whose history stretches back to the earliest decades of the 19th century.

The congregation was organized in 1815 in what was then known as West Middle Island. Originally called the Third Congregational Church of Brookhaven, it was led by Pastor Jacob Corwin. In 1817, Nathaniel Smith and Deacon Wheeler were selected to develop plans for a meeting house.

The historic structure was built around 1817-1818 in the Federal architectural style. The congregation was formally incorporated as the First Congregational Church of New Village in 1845.

As the congregation grew, plans for expanded facilities began during the 1950s, eventually resulting in a new church building nearby in 1963.

The Town of Brookhaven eventually acquired the historic property and has maintained it as a town-owned historic site.

In 2002, the First Congregational Church of New Village was added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its architectural and historical significance.