St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Sea Cliff Receives Sacred Sites Grant from the New York Landmarks Conservancy

The New York Landmarks Conservancy has announced 23 Sacred Sites Grants totaling over $240,000 awarded to historic religious properties throughout New York State including a $6,000 grant to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Sea Cliff, New York to help repair and restore stained glass windows.

“Religious institutions are often the most beautiful and complex buildings in their communities. We are pleased to be able to help preserve these important institutions for their architecture, history and community service,” said Peg Breen, President, The New York Landmarks Conservancy.

Built in 1892, to the designs of Sibell and Miller, St. Luke’s Church is a low-scale wood-frame Queen Anne-style church sheathed in wood clapboards and shingles with a slate roof. The gable-end sanctuary has an offset block containing the partially recessed entrance porch with Queen Anne-style turned wood columns, and a one-story shed-roof block along the façade. Punctuating this block are three trefoil windows. In the gable end above is a rose window in an intricate Gothic-revival style frame. Along each side elevation are three bays with small gable ends. Inside each bay is a large, multi-part pointed arch window. The church interior is intact with the historic pews, wood paneling, stained glass (including one window from the Tiffany Studios,) and fixtures. To the rear of the church is a modern brick parish hall that houses offices, a nursery school, and meeting spaces.

Because the church has the largest meeting hall in the village, the complex is used by numerous groups, including AA, Scout troops and a Lay Pastoral Care group that provides volunteer assistance and support to those affected by serious illness. The Mutural Concerns of Sea Cliff serves senior citizens lunch, the Performing Arts Program at St. Luke’s has dance and musical perfomances, and the Sea Cliff Beautification Committee holds its annual plant sale at the church. Sea Cliff has two Russian Orthodox churches, and they hold their annual Easter bazaar in the church hall. Combined, these activities reach 500 people in the community.

The Conservancy’s Sacred Sites Program is the only statewide program in the country providing financial and technical assistance for the restoration of culturally significant religious properties. Since 1986, the program has disbursed grants of more than $8 million to more than 700 congregations regardless of denominations.

The New York Landmarks Conservancy has led the effort to preserve and protect New York City’s architectural legacy for more than 40 years. Since its founding, the Conservancy has loaned and granted more than $40 million, which has leveraged more than $1 billion in 1,550 restoration projects throughout New York, revitalizing communities, providing economic stimulus and supporting local jobs. The Conservancy has also offered countless hours of pro bono technical advice to building owners, both nonprofit organizations and individuals. The Conservancy’s work has saved more than a thousand buildings across the City and State, protecting New York’s distinctive architectural heritage for residents and visitors alike today, and for future generations. For more information, please visit www.nylandmarks.org.