Volume CXXXIII, Number 19 March 29, 2002 f

First Parish Church to undergo renovations
NICOLE DURAND
STAFF WRITER

The First Parish Congregational Church of Brunswick, near the northwest corner of the Bowdoin campus, is slated to undergo several renovations in the upcoming year.

First Parish Church is running a captial campaign to raise the $2.5M needed to make all the necessary repairs to the building. (Bowdoin Orient)

Bowdoin economics professor Michael Jones and his wife Dodie are co-chairing the church's Capital Campaign with the goal of raising the $2.5 million needed to repair the church. The campaign has already raised $1.7 million.

The needed renovations include repainting the exterior of the church, strengthening the tower, which is beginning to lean towards the East, repairing leaks in the roof, and restructuring the drainage system around the building to link into the town of Brunswick's drainage system. In addition, four stained-glass windows need to be repaired, and an interior sprinkler system with smoke and fire alarms needs to be installed.

Preconstruction drawings are in progress, and renovation on the historic church will begin with the new building season.

Although the church's exterior will be surrounded by scaffolding for most of the building season, the inside will still be accessible for regular services and events.

The church, which was built in 1846 by Richard Upjohn, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. The building is unique because it is an example of Neo-Gothic architecture, most notably seen in its vertical exterior siding. At the time of its construction, the church was considered to be one of the most radical buildings in Maine.

The church also has a long-standing history with the College, and Convocation and Baccalaureate are still held there.