MICHELLE MULLEN

The Kingsbridge Historical Society, or KHS, received a $250,000 state grant to restore the deeply battered roof of Edgehill, its historic Spuyten Duyvil headquarters.

Decades of exposure to the elements have been anything but kind to the structure, plaguing it with ever-mounting leaks and rotting wood that threaten its survival. The grant, secured by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, sets into motion a long-awaited update to one of the last surviving examples of 19th-century rural architecture in the Bronx.

Dinowitz joined KHS President Nick Dembowski at the weathered building on Oct. 9, where they announced the new funding to dozens of local history buffs and preservation advocates.

“It’s kind of humbling, in a sense, that given all the needy people and institutions out there, someone thinks we’ve earned the ability to get this grant,” Dembowski said. “For a small volunteer organization like ours, this is transformational.”

Acquired by the society as Edgehill Church in 2022 and renamed shortly after, the structure had largely gone without significant repairs for decades. Having fallen victim to a shrinking congregation and dwindling funds, the house of worship stood the test of time through a patchwork of quick fixes and band-aid solutions.

Built in 1889 and designed by architect Francis Kimball, Edgehill offers an eclectic blend of Romanesque Revival, Tudor Revival and Shingle-style elements. Kimball, who later helped pioneer New York’s early skyscrapers, crafted the modest church with a steeply sloped roof, rustic stone foundation, and trefoil-arched windows that follow the contours of the hillside. 

Inside, sunlight filters through four Tiffany stained-glass windows, filling the simple wood-beamed sanctuary with a warm glow.

For more than a century, Edgehill Church served as a spiritual and social anchor for the Spuyten Duyvil community. It was first built as a mission chapel for workers at the nearby Johnson Iron Foundry, where more than 300 people were once employed.

The church became an independent congregation in 1917 and was renamed the Edgehill Church of Spuyten Duyvil. In 2023, only two members remained. With no funds for upkeep, they handed the keys to the historical society — a gesture that ensured the building’s preservation.

Since then, KHS has worked to salvage the structure, but the roof remains the most urgent and costly repair. Decades of layering asphalt shingles over the original wood, a significantly cheaper fix — have added dangerous weight and created an increasingly sloped surface, causing stormwater to gush over the gutters, which are themselves in dire need of repair.

“Our gutters are ancient, and they’ve got a lot of holes,” Dembowski said. “We’ve tried plugging them, and we have rain barrels posted around, drips, tarps. But there’s only so much of that kind of stuff you can do.”

Even so, water intrusion has caused steady damage to the basement and interior walls, despite near-constant efforts to curb flooding with outdoor barrels and other makeshift mechanisms.

“Since we’re on a hill, any rain that hits pools in the backyard, trapped there, and it just wants to get into the building,” Dembowski said. “The water runs through the stone foundation and eats away at the mortar — the weakness of the foundation is causing things to crack.”

Stephanie Coggins, a KHS board member, said the repairs are not just necessary but urgent.

“Every time it rains, we hold our breath,” she said. “You can see the water stains spreading and feel how fragile the structure has become. This funding gives us a real chance to protect the building before it’s too late, and validates years of volunteer effort. It means Edgehill can finally be restored not just as a relic, but as a living part of the community again.”

The grant marks the society’s third in as many years — and its largest to date. Previous awards included one from state Sen. Gustavo Rivera for a new HVAC system and another from the New York State government for an electrical system overhaul.

“We do get discretion over certain pots of money for capital projects,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. “The good news is I didn’t spend everything that I have available, because I like to save this for a rainy day. I think the work that the organization does, combined with the building itself, just made it an easy choice for me.”

The funding means more than just roof and gutter repairs — it’s a lifeline for a piece of Bronx history that has endured a seemingly endless myriad of challenges over the past 135 years.

“To really unlock the potential of not only the society, but the building as a space for the community, this needs to happen,” Dembowski said. “This is the first step in bringing Edgehill fully back to life.”

Keywords

Edgehill Spuyten Duyvil,

Kingsbridge Historical Society grant,

Bronx historic preservation,

Edgehill roof restoration,

Jeffrey Dinowitz funding,

19th century Bronx architecture,

KHS Edgehill repairs