The old church on Madison Street in Sag Harbor has been through a lot in almost 200 years of existence. Built by the Methodists in 1832 originally on High Street, and moved to its present location in 1864, the building was sold and deconsecrated in 2008 when the congregation moved to something more modern. After that, the building struggled to find a use, with elaborate plans to turn it into a private residence and exorbitant asking prices (at one time $23.5 million) eventually coming to nothing. In June 2018, local heroes Eric Fischl and April Gornik purchased the property, selling their SoHo lofts to pay for it, with plans to turn the church, now known as the Church, into a community arts center. Art and writing and culture have long been an important part of Sag Harbor history, and this will be its new center.
Architect Lee Skolnick, who’d worked on projects for the couple before, donated much of his fee for drawing up the designs. Soaring interior spaces pay tribute to the original beams and framing, not disturbing the historic fabric of the building, while modern touches, such as a glass elevator, create an interplay between past and present.
One of the most striking features are the large, plain windows, each of which features a Sag Harbor resident painted by Fischl. (Below, Langston Hughes.) A modern take on the saints usually depicted in stained glass windows.
Inside the spacious volumes are simple, cozy spots to invite thought and discussion. There are on-site accommodation for artists-in-residence, space for creating art, exhibition galleries, a resource library, and a public garden.
The new library (above) is within the original belfry, underneath its historic bell. Below, the original stone foundation and exposed beams are highlights of the new artists’ workshops.
This project is an outstanding example of adaptive reuse of an historic building. Well done and congratulations to all involved.