CPA Funds Sought For Baptist Church Preservation

 HARWICH – The soon-to-be owners of the West Harwich Baptist Church, John Carey and Piper Connolly, have filed an application with the community preservation committee seeking $667,500 to help restore and preserve the nearly 200-year-old building.

The plans for the historic church include preservation of the exterior while converting it to a cultural and community center called the West Harwich Meetinghouse. Carey has just completed the restoration and conversion of the historic West Harwich Schoolhouse, located behind the church, into 10 housing units.

Carey said the purchase of the 1841 church is scheduled to close later this week.

“The goal of the project is to refurbish the church as the crown jewel of West Harwich, securing its place as a source of pride for generations to come,” Carey wrote in his application to the community preservation committee (CPC), filed this week.

“Once restored, the building will be repositioned as the West Harwich Meetinghouse, a cultural center open to all. This revitalized space will host community forums, lectures, concerts, fundraisers, historic talks, art and cultural performances and more,” he wrote. “It will provide a vital gathering place that connects residents, celebrates local history, and strengthens the sense of community in Harwich.”   

 The CPC set Oct. 2 as the final day for filing applications for projects that, if approved by the committee, will be presented to the annual town meeting in May for funding. Carey is seeking funding under the historic preservation category within the Community Preservation Act.

The project is estimated to cost $1,410,500. The work would be done in three phases: pre-construction, $120,000; exterior renovation, $667,500; and interior renovation at $622,500. The CPA funds being sought would be for phase two. Voters at the 2022 town meeting endorsed preserving the building.

 The funds would be used to conduct a critical scope of work required to stabilize and preserve the structure, according to Carey. The improvements will secure the building envelope against future deterioration and provide the foundation for its long-term restoration and adaptive reuse as the West Harwich Meetinghouse, he said.

He added that he intends to place a historic preservation deed restriction on the building.

The town had been serving as an intermediary between the church’s owner, First Baptist Church of West Harwich and Dennisport, and Davenport Companies, which was the only bidder to purchase the property and convert it into housing. After the company’s proposal to demolish the church and build a replica ran into opposition from the historic district and historical commission, Davenport backed out of the agreement with the town.

Carey has presented two structural assessments with his application to the CPC. One, from Fire Tower Engineered Timber, Inc., determined that the ridge and eaves are still notably straight, indicating no serious trouble with the major timber components.

“The building is not currently suited for occupancy,” wrote engineer Robert L. Brungraber “But the basic roof and supporting walls, foundation, steeple, and sanctuary floor all appear sound enough not to present any threat of any failure. Whether the building ought to be demolished…is a matter of economic feasibility, not one of any immediately impending failure.” 

Ian Ellison, an active participant in the Timber Framers Guild and Carpenters Without Borders, said that the church is “without question, a rare and remarkable timber building, one that was built to last and, with proper care, will continue to stand for centuries. It is not only structurally sound but also an architectural treasure — beautiful to behold and of great cultural and historical significance to the community of Harwich.”

Carey said the historic structure will serve as a landmark at the gateway to “Captains’ Row.” The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is about to spend $17 million on Route 28 in West Harwich, adding brick sidewalk, period lighting and streetscape improvements in the village. Carey said the town has an opportunity to match that investment by restoring one of the town’s proudest and most beautiful structures.

The West Harwich Baptist Church is the oldest Baptist denomination in Barnstable County, according to the historical narrative done for the Massachusetts Historical Commission prepared by Deirdre Brotherson in 1993. The building replaced an earlier one that was moved to the property from North Harwich.

Carey expects to complete the project by May 2028 and to have a grand opening of the West Harwich Meetinghouse at that time. He also plans to hold a celebration on Oct. 22, 2028, the 200th anniversary of the original 1828 sale of the land from Job Chase to the West Harwich Baptist Church.