Church celebrates finish of major expansion project

SCOTT FRIEDMAN Frank Moschella, of Monroe, chairman of the building committee at the Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg, hands a few pies to his wife, Trinidad, during a recent open house to celebrate the new building addition. Dick Esch, of Jamesburg, looks on, and Tom Fordham, of Monroe, stirs up some cider in the new kitchen.

JAMESBURG - The Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg has more space and better accommodations, thanks to a $1.5 million renovation that was completed this fall.

The project at the century-and-a-half-old church, located at Gatzmer Avenue and Church Street, began in the 1990s, when asbestos was removed from the walls of a church building, a job that uncovered other deficiencies and served as a precursor to the larger work.

After demolishing a small building addition from the 1930s, the church expanded its social hall and built a 12,000-square-foot, three-story addition.

On the lower level, the new addition includes separate day-care facilities leased from the church by the Montessori Children's House preschool operation, according to Frank Moschella, chairman of the church's building committee.

The main level of the new building has office space, a large conference room, a music room dedicated to the memory of longtime church organist Ralph Marriott, a modern kitchen, nursery and a boardroom. On the third, or upper level, there are seven classrooms for Sunday school and other purposes.

Each floor is also equipped with bathroom facilities.

The project has been a long time coming for the church, which went through three different architectural firms along the way.

"We're finally happy, because we had to jump through a lot of hurdles and obstacles to comply with all of the building codes and ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] codes. Everything's been done in compliance with all of the requirements," Moshella said.

Funding for the work came from a variety of areas, including money left to the church from estates, internal fundraising campaigns and a loan.

The church is expected to hold a dedication ceremony in January.