Conservation of Post Carriage House (Parish Hall)

In 1960, the church building was moved from  South Haven to it’s present site on the former James H. Post summer estate. The Post Carriage House,  which was built about 1900 and housed the Post family carriages and horses, was acquired with the land purchase and remodeled as a parish and community hall. Since its renovation, it has been Church School, Cabaret Theater, 35 years of Community Nursery School, and Parish Hall for countless church, community, advocacy and personal events, including celebrations of life's anniversaries, weddings, holidays, and housed community support programs such AA & Al-Anon, etc.

While the Post Carriage House served the congregation and community well since 1960, it deteriorated with time. Like most barn-like buildings erected in the 19th century, it was constructed without a foundation, but instead rested on locust-wood posts. It also nestled against a hillside which gradually migrated down into the building. These features resulted in significant rotting of the building’s primary structural members.

In 2002, Knowles Associates, a local architectural firm, brought to the congregation’s attention  the fact that the building was in jeopardy from soil erosion and water damage. The congregation was faced with two choices: immediate preservation or eventual loss of the building. With the design effort a gift from Knowles Associates, it was decided that the best and most economical long term action was preservation of the building. This option allowed not only the saving of a historic and otherwise functional building, but also provided for future expansion of program use.

A fundraising drive was initiated, which is detailed in the fundraising letter published below.  Unfortunately, to obtain a full Certificate of Occupancy from the Town of Brookhaven to use the new basement area for public occupancy, several additions to the original design were required, including the installation of full automatic fire sprinklers throughout the entire building.  While sufficient funds were raised to complete the majority of the conservation work, they were insufficient to allow public use of the basement area.  This option was preserved for future consideration.