First Congregational Church in Billerica is housed in a historic 1829 structure, which includes the sanctuary, and a two-story addition that was built in the 1950s.
About ten years ago it was discovered that the sill of the original structure of the church was rotting. While the building was still safe to occupy, it needed to be addressed.
Being a building almost two hundred years old, it is also in need of updating to make it more accessible for all.
A master plan was developed and about five years ago d.a. kinsella company was hired as the architect of record to design plans for a restoration and renovation project.
Through a capital campaign and support of local businesses, the church raised $610,000. An additional $385,000 in Community Preservation Funds was overwhelmingly approved by Billerica Town Meeting.
Getting to this point is the result of the work of many including the past and present members of the Board of Trustees, the Building Committee, the Fundraising Committee, and the Gala Committee, and the support of the congregation.
The building is expected to remain open during all phases of construction. Updates will be available here and on Facebook.
Historic 1829 Building Renovation Breaks Ground
Billerica Contractor Leading $1M Project
Nov. 8, 2024 – “There will be dirt,” was cheerfully proclaimed as a golden shovel ceremonially broke ground for the renovation and restoration of the First Congregational Church in Billerica (FCCB). The project includes replacement of the rotted sill in the original 1829 structure and improving building accessibility with a full-sized elevator.
“This renovation will allow our church to continue to provide vital services for the community and be around for another two hundred years,” said Rev. Dr. Katherine Adams, pastor of FCCB. More than three dozen congregants and community members gathered for the event.
The church is located at 18 Andover Rd. and is part of Billerica’s historic district in the center of town. After assessing the building as part of a master plan, the rotted sill was discovered. About five years ago, FCCB began working with Billerica-based d.a. kinsella company to develop architectural plans for the restoration and renovation.
“This is the culmination of nearly 10 years of work and we are excited to continue to work with Dave Kinsella and his team to see the project come to fruition,” said John Keough, co-chair of the FCCB Building Committee.
As a result of a bidding process, d.a. kinsella company was selected as the general contractor for the project. Construction will begin this month with anticipated completion within eight to 12 months.
“As a lifelong resident, who lives and works in town, this project supports Billerica. This church is central to the community. The amount of people and organizations that use this building is staggering,” said David Kinsella, architect of record for the project.
“First Congregational went about this project the right way to preserve the integrity and history of the building,” said Travis Brown, neighbor and chairperson of Community Preservation Committee and member of the Historical Commission and Historic Districts Commission. “It is a model of a project for community preservation in a historic town.”
Town Manager Clancy Main echoed Brown’s sentiments, “Getting to this point is the result of a lot of work and planning. It is the beginning of another journey forward to make sure the building construction is completed.”
In addition to repairing the rotting sill and installing an elevator, the project includes mitigating the water running off the building that originally caused the rot and includes a containment system to reduce flow into the neighboring properties. The project had to be scaled back slightly to remain within budget given the increased cost of building materials. FCCB continues to seek alternate sources of funding to be able to complete the renovation by replacing vinyl siding with historically appropriate clapboard siding.