Feb 20, 2025
This award recognizes a large-scale rehabilitation of a historic building in our region completed within the last two years. The award was created to honor Congressman Barber Conable of Alexander, Genesee County, who supported the establishment of the Federal Investment Tax Credit Program for the rehabilitation of historic, income-producing buildings.
On Easter of 2023, Asbury First's Community Outreach Center officially opened to the public. In the just over a year and a half since then, they have "provided more than 9,000 meals, 1,000 bags of groceries, 5,000 individuals with clothing and household goods, 300 clinic appointments, 300 loads of laundry, 700 showers, 150 haircuts, and 150 bicycles serviced," according to the church website. This project serves as an excellent example of creative and thoughtful adaptive reuse, significantly expanding the efforts of the church to provide services and support to those most in need. Coming in at just under $5 million, the project overcame numerous challenges in order to sensitively and comprehensively adapt and rehabilitate a notable historic residence on East Avenue, and the site now houses a daunting number of disparate programs while providing full accessibility to staff, volunteers, and clients throughout all levels of the building.
Originally constructed in 1907, the three-story brick Tudor style home was meticulously renovated using matching materials and high levels of craftsmanship. While the church has owned the building for many years, this restoration has allowed programs to run much more smoothly, leading to the expansion of their community outreach mission. Bero Architecture, DGA Builders, and Catenary Construction all contributed to the project. A stone terrace was rebuilt at the rear of the building, and a two-story addition was constructed, with a fully accessible Welcoming Center for the three outreach ministries utilizing the building. A collection outbuilding was also added to facilitate after-hours donations and sorting, and its masonry and materials match the mansion (an unexpected and delightful touch). Overall, the project maintains the integrity and beauty of the original structure, ensuring that the front façade was not affected by the renovations while allowing for better use of the space.
Now, the Community Outreach Center includes a Dining and Caring Center, a Storehouse for clothing and household items, medical and dental care through the University of Rochester School of Medicine, a Grocery Bag Ministry, and a community garden. Through this immense historic preservation project, Asbury First has become an instrumental site for service and support across the entire city of Rochester.
Special thanks to John Page, Christopher Brandt, and Bero Architecture for providing much of this text in their nomination.
Courtesy of The Landmark Society of Western New York