Roxbury Presbyterian Church
Roxbury, MA
Listed on the National Register of Historic places, Roxbury Presbyterian Church is a striking landmark and an exuberant Victorian Gothic church constructed in 1891. Studio G Architects preserved and enhanced its historically significant facade and renovated the church’s interior to support 21st century uses. The project won a 2008 Massachusetts Historical Commission award for “Rehabilitation & Restoration” and the phased exterior preservation received Massachusetts Historical Commission funding.
Handicapped accessibility was provided to all floors. At the upper level, the high-vaulted sanctuary received new hardwood flooring, restored pews, a renovated altar and new lighting. A new administration suite within the sanctuary was designed with a glass wall to ensure visual continuity. The renovated lower level was organized around a large multi-purpose space with movable partitions to accommodate several activities including after-school programs for middle school children, nursery and Sunday school classes, teen ministry and other youth programs, and church meetings and social gatherings. The computer technology center and program offices line the sides of the central space. A new commercial kitchen serves both church and social programs. All systems were replaced, the structure upgraded, and a long-term problem with water penetration was resolved.