Friday, October 16, 2026
“It’s been a long time coming.” The Rev. Vicar Michael Delaney said. “We have parishioners who can’t get into the church because they can’t take all those steps in the front. This is really for anyone who has any disability and needs to ride in.”
On Oct. 4, St James of Jerusalem church on West Penn Street, unveiled its newly installed elevator system with an official ribbon cutting ceremony. The project began in 2022 and reached completion after years of fundraising, researching and coordinating with the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island which oversees many decisions regarding the church building and grounds. With a total cost of $117,000, the undertaking was significantly offset by a combination of private donations and a Nassau County grant.
The church, which was built in 1935 and had not received significant structural updates, installed the elevator system to increase accessibility for people with limited mobility and people with mobility aids. “You have people with bad knees and walkers and pains and whatnot, and the church is just completely riddled with stairs.” Wendy Goldstein, church member and former church warden said. “You can’t get anywhere in the church without going up and down stairs.”
Goldstein researched options, met with vendors and navigated bureaucratic hurdles. When funding was secured, the church hired Alpha Care Supply, a Valley Stream-based firm specializing in disability access, to install the vertical lift on the building’s exterior, allowing access to all three levels of the church. “This morning, we had a woman whose husband’s funeral I did last year,” Delaney said. “She came and she had a walker. So she was the first one that came in and went to church.”
