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05/31/2019 12:00 AMAnchoring the eastern edge of the Branford Green, historic Trinity Episcopal Church is undergoing a $2 million renovation that will largely take place beneath the building. The project will develop a functional, updated, handicapped accessible basement and kitchen space for the many community groups and support organizations which have come to rely on the church for their meeting space.
Outside changes will include the addition of a raised sidewalk ramp at the entrance to the church's Parish Hall building on Town Hall Drive. The raised sidewalk ramp will provide access on the ground floor level to a compact elevator, which will travel to the basement. It will be the first elevator installed at the church.
"We've looked into doing an elevator for decades, but the technology wasn't ready," said Rev. Sharon Gracen. "What we're able to install now is a LULA – a Limited Use, Limited Access elevator; which takes installing a very small [foyer] shaft between the Parish Hall and the church, and we have to move a wall to [basement] kitchen so there's wheelchair access."
The addition of the elevator is part of a plan to transform Trinity's basement, or "undercroft" into a fully updated, expanded space. The new space will also include an updated, commercial kitchen to help support the many community programs that have come to rely on this church as a welcome meeting and gathering space.
The undercroft was hand-excavated by church members in the 1930's, according to church history. Those lending a helping hand included Wallace Foote, who went on to include Trinity Episcopal in his philanthropic giving through the Foote Family Trust, said Rev. Sharon Gracen.
"It was personally dug out, by hand, by members of the congregation [and] that included Wallace Foote. He would walk down from the bank at the end of the day and roll up his shirt sleeves and help," said Gracen.
Pulling the project together took Trinity Episcopal more than two years of planning and a capital campaign which raised approximately $1.4 million from the congregation, topped by a $500,000 grant awarded by the Foote Family Trust in January, 2019 (to be issued as $250,000 per year for two years).
"What this is eventually going to be is close to a $2 million renovation; and we, as a congregation, will use this new space less than the Branford community will," said Rev. Sharon Gracen.
Outside groups relying on the church for meeting space in the Parish Hall/undercroft include weekly meetings by Alcoholics Anonymous [AA], Narcotics Anonymous [NA] Connecticut Advocates for Parkinson's-Branford Chapter's Tai Chi, Dancing with Parkinson's, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts; monthly gatherings for Compassionate Friends, Branford Food Pantry, Shoreline Quilters; and multiple Musical Friends sessions held throughout the year.
"There's an AA group that's been meeting there for more than 60 years," said Gracen. "The basement is a space that's used a lot, all the time. The [Branford] Historic society makes their [festival] shortcakes there, because the kitchen is right next to [the basement space]. But our kitchen is so completely out of compliance, it makes it difficult to work there."
The project design includes a complete renovation of the kitchen and brings it up to commercial code grade. Once it's complete, "...we'd love to have all kinds of things there; cooking classes, you name it. We'd love to have that happen here for the community," said Gracen.
The entire project has been designed by Branford architect Anthony Terry, who also produced the initial feasibility study for Trinity. The work is being managed by Branford firm Munger Construction. Congregation member and retired architect Bob Barnett is the church liaison for the project, which required town approvals and a state historic easement. The first phase of work began in early May and involves renovating a sidewalk and stone stairs leading to a side door on the church building (facing Montowese Street).
A gem among Branford's notable collection of historic buildings on the town green, Trinity's English Gothic-style church building with its welcoming red doors was originally constructed in 1852; serving a congregation which formed in the 18th century. The church is known for its 13 stained glass windows, including three Tiffany windows; the oldest of which date back to 1881 and 1889, according to church history.
Gracen said Trinity Episcopal Church will remain open during the entire construction process; and all of the groups which rely on meeting at the site will continue to have a place to meet within the walls of Trinity and the Parish Hall during construction.
"We don't want to disenfranchise any of the groups using it," she said.
From the moment of developing feasibility studies for design and financing over two years ago, on through to the capital campaign, and now the work underway, Gracen said the congregation's support of the project has been a sustaining and important element to its success.
"We have some extraordinarily generous people in this congregation; including many for who there are generations of families who've been here," she said.
Gracen said the entire congregation's desire is that new space,"...says to people that use it, 'We believe you deserve a good place.'"