RELIGIOUS & HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Advent Lutheran Church Restoration

LOCATION: Broadway at 93rd Street, New York, New York

DESCRIPTION: The church, originally built in 1903, was the final work of Architect William A. Potter who helped shape the High Victorian Gothic phase of American architecture of the 1860's and 1870's in New York. "One-aisled, due to its restricted comer site on Broadway, the church features fine stained glass windows and a magnificent, intricately carved stone Reredos with mosaic panels behind it, all designed by Tiffany's." (excerpted from the "Newsletter, Preservation League of NY"). The church was due for much-needed maintenance work in 1985. Also, as time passed additional space was needed. The Architect began the restoration with the conversion of the unused belfry into an office for the pastor. In the sanctuary the two front rows of pews were removed to make room for a performance area finished with new Brazilian cherry flooring. A new organ was installed. The entire sanctuary was painted in period colors and thoroughly restored. On the exterior, the brick and limestone, badly soiled by pollution, were steam cleaned, revealing a delightful polychromatic brick pattern. The exterior was re-pointed and necessary repairs were made to the roof, restoring the church to its original appearance and condition of eight decades ago.

DESIGN TEAM: John W. Barton, Architect; Juliana Boehm, project manager; Thomas Gagliardi, Linda Dishner, project team.

DATE: Completed in 1988