St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is embarking on an ambitious effort to modernize and improve its parish and community spaces while preserving the historic church building that has long stood at the center of village life.
The initiative, known as Project Renewal, will include work to improve accessibility, the installation of air conditioning, the replacement of aging windows and the creation of a more functional connection between the church and parish hall that serves dozens of local organizations and events each year.
“This has always been the center of Sea Cliff, and now … it’s more than just a parish hall, it’s a church and community center, too,” Bruce Castellano, chair of the building and grounds committee, said. “So that’s exciting, and it’s kind of rare.”
For decades, various infrastructure issues with the parish hall and the sacristy plagued the church, with longtime parishioners like Castellano and Victoria Bjorklund commenting that the problems had been around since they started attending services in the 2000s.
The project grew out of surveys distributed to parishioners, tenants and community groups that regularly use the church’s facilities, and accessibility emerged as the foremost concern.
The church’s current layout requires visitors entering from Adams Street to navigate several steps before choosing between more stairs leading up or down to different parts of the building. Plans call for the installation of an elevator and ramps that will provide step-free access from the street throughout the facility.
Project architect William Bryant, a Sea Cliff resident who runs the firm Bryant|Liou with his wife, Joanne Liou, said that the church’s growth and its expanding role in the community made its needs increasingly apparent.
“The primary goal is really accessibility — providing an elevator, handicapped-accessible ramps, complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Bryant said. “They’re not required to do it because … of their pre-existing nonconforming structure, but the reality is, there are lots of folks who need better access.”
Bjorklund, a co-chair of the architectural committee, said the issue became painfully apparent after she suffered an injury three years ago. “I really became acutely aware of the need for improved accessibility when I broke my kneecap in 2023,” she said. “… I had to limp up one step at a time.”
As well, the lack of air conditioning in the parish and community hall has become a major concern during warmer months. “The parish hall itself was used by a couple of groups on a regular basis, but the potential was much greater than what it was being used for,” the Rev. Jesse Lebus, the church’s rector, said. “It’s clear that people see the need for it, given the climate situation.”
The parish hall has become a regular gathering place for organizations including the Sea Cliff Arts Council, the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor, Healing Headbands and local scout troops, and also hosts village meetings.
Bryant said that role distinguishes St. Luke’s from many institutions his firm works with. “One thing that I have said over and over again that is unique to St. Luke’s, compared to much of the work that my wife and I do, is that they have very thriving, growing community,” Bryant said. “What I feel like we’re spending more of our professional lives doing is helping … institutions figure out how to manage the fact that they are shrinking.”
The architect noted that St. Luke’s is the largest public gathering space in Sea Cliff, and has hosted everything from village planning meetings to film festival screenings.
“It is a huge part of the community of Sea Cliff, in addition to its parish,” Bryant said.
The cost of the project is estimated at roughly $1.9 million, according to Lebus. Church leaders expect funding to come primarily from parish donations and grants, with fundraising efforts likely extending over several years. Construction timelines remain uncertain, and will depend largely on the success of those efforts.
Church leaders expect some disruption during portions of the work. “The church itself will be open and accessible,” Lebus said. “There’s no construction or renovation projects that will interfere with Sunday services.”
For Bjorklund, the effort represents an investment not only in the church, but in the broader community.
“We wanted to bring [the church] into the 21st century for all Sea Cliffians to enjoy and use,” she said, “so we’re very excited that this project is coming to fruition.”
No start date for the project has been announced, and the church is not yet seeking donations. For more information about St. Luke’s and its work in the community, visit SaintLukes-SeaCliff.org.
