Rochester’s First Congressional Church located on 11 Constitution Way has announced its 3-year capital campaign to renovate the exterior of the property. The plan is to restore the church’s Sanctuary and Vestry buildings as both buildings were built during the early-1800s. The current proposal is exclusively an exterior renovation in order to preserve the historic site. Church member Chuck Kantner said in a statement, “The intent is to mirror as much as possible the original appearance, replacing wood with high-quality composite materials and the old windows with new in the original style.”
The church sits between Town Hall and the Joseph H. Plumb Library, with the church itself being established in the location in 1703, about 17 years after the town of Rochester was incorporated. The project is currently in the fundraising stage with total estimates for completion being around $450,000, per Kantner. Currently, fundraising has mostly taken place within the church’s own congregation.
By Sam Bishop