Bricks and Mortals is a grassroots membership organization comprised of individuals and organizations from faith-based institutions and real-estate experts.
Bricks and Mortals is a grassroots membership organization comprised of individuals and organizations from faith-based institutions and the real-estate community, which provides resources, connections and trainings in order to empower congregations in NYC to maximize and monetize their real property to support mission, benefit the community and continue their good work.
faith-based institutions in New York City facing the challenge of staying open and mission-consistent in the context of aging buildings, declining membership, and rising real estate costs
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the variety of creative strategies that religious institutions might develop to sustain themselves and continue to provide their essential services to New York City
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of the rich resources houses of worship provide to New York City regardless of faith, including social services, social justice advocacy, cultural programming, arts space, after-school programs, and community meeting space
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for faith-based institutions’ needs regarding real property, mission, and community service and educate the public and local officials regarding the same
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Bricks and Mortals, and collaborators Hartford Seminary and Partners for Sacred Places, received a $1 million dollar grant over five years. We will show that congregations can do even more with their real estate than they currently imagine and develop an understanding of the many adaptive reuse options available.
Sustainable Solutions for Sacred Sites will demonstrate adaptive, revenue producing, and sustainable uses for sacred sites. Congregations and communities will increase the resources they have to survive and thrive. The program will raise the consciousness of sample congregations in ways that spark their alternative uses and inspire the wider community.
The results of the program will include:
- 25 congregation success stories and replicable studies on adaptive reuse of sacred sites;
- 25 teams of congregational leaders; coursework for long-term capacity building for clergy;
- a congregational Toolkit on Adaptive Reuse suitable to a wide array of needs;
- Consciousness-raising in the American Christian community on adaptive reuse.
