2002 Award of Merit:

Renovation Project = St. James Church

St. James' Church is among the oldest and most recognizable buildings on the Upper Ease Side of Manhattan.  The original church was completed in 1884 and renovated in 1923.  The Parish House, located adjacent to the church, was added 15 year later to provide offices for the clergy and classrooms for the church's educational and community programs.

As a result, the entire project team had to create the new spaces and later the existing interior spaces without visually altering the appearance of the exterior, which is part of the Upper East Side Historic District.

Included in the project was extensive renovation of the main worship space in the the church sanctuary.  The original wood-framed church floor was removed and replaced with a new steel and concrete structure that was finished with stone and mosaic marble tile.  The 20-year-old pews were refurbished and some of the church's stained glass was cleaned and relocated to more prominent locations. 

To further meet the challenge of maximizing the interior space, social and educational spaces in Donegan Hall and the East Hall, located beneath the sanctuary, were redesigned and reconfigured for alternate religious uses and to meet the need for more flexible classroom space for religious functions, parish life and community outreach programs.

In addition, a new glass atrium was designed and inserted between the church and the Parish House at the third floor to provide needed space fore church activities and a multipurpose classroom.

To meet the challenge of needed exterior repairs, the state roof was replaced with great care to match the original roof in appearance.  Masonry was also restored, railings refurbished and previously restored Tiffany stained glass windows were reset in their original openings.

Other project solutions included elimination of columns when the new floor sanctuary floor was installed and reframed to provide an open plan for the school and meeting space below; enhancing circulation through the ancillary spaces of the church by adding a new stair and elevator core; and phasing the project schedule so the church could remain operational during construction.

The jury recognized this project because it 'went from a wooden structure and the project team successfully built a structure within an existing structure with difficult logistical challenges".