Putnam Valley Residents Hope to Resurrect Historical Church

As the Tompkins Corners Methodist Church stands empty and for sale, a push is being made to revitalize the church and make it a spot integral to the community once again.

A group of about 20 Putnam Valley residents are looking to turn the church, which is on the national register for historic places, into a center for the arts, and bring interest back to a spot along Peekskill Hollow Road that has been an afterthought to many residents that drive by it for the past couple years.

The group of citizens is hoping to form a not-for-profit called Tompkins Corners Center for the Arts that would preserve the Tompkins Methodist Church, use it for different facets of art, and have educational programs that local students interested in pursuing arts as a profession could attend.

Three of the active members include resident and councilwoman Wendy Whetsel, resident Judy Allen, and resident Maaike Hoekstra.

Hoekstra used to live right across the street from the church growing up and noted how busy it used to be in the community, holding fairs, farmer markets, festivals, among other activities for the community each week.  She called it the “center of the community.”

“It was at its peak for a very, very long time,” Hoekstra said. “It’s sad to see it empty.”

Since a new church has been built down the street, the Tompkins Corners Church, erected in 1835, hasn’t been used for the last two years. A for-sale sign is up, along with a sign that marks it as an historic site. The church has also been desanctified.

While it might take a year to get non-profit status, Whetsel hopes the plan can go forward well before that. The group would pursue multiple grants including money for historical structures, historical restoration, supporting the arts, and supporting education.

Other funds would be solicitation of donations from private donors and collecting money from rentals, usage and performances at the site.

Right now, the non-profit has hired a lawyer and is working to get officially a not-for-profit status so donations from private donors can be tax deductible. If people want to donate currently, they would have to make it as a loan or another non-profit would act as an umbrella and accept donations on behalf the group.

Within the month, Hoekstra said the group would engage in discussions with the church about buying the property.

Putnam Valley Supervisor Bob Tendy at a March town board meeting scoffed at the idea of a not-for-profit controlling the church, noting how long it’s taken the group to get a plan into action. He steadfastly doubts the group can afford to buy the church for the tune of almost $200,000 and appeared to advocate for the town to take control of the church through incentive zoning.

“I do know that church has been sitting there for a number of years, I do know I’ve had meetings with people about starting a group to purchase it,” he said. “It’s never gone anywhere. I do know that church is deteriorating every single season.”

“I want to go on the record here, you will never purchase that church and it will deteriorate,” Tendy added. “And that’s just a fact. You’re living in a fantasy world. It’s never going to happen.”

Whetsel refuted what Tendy said during the meeting. She said he’s “not involved in the group so he has no idea what’s going on.”

Whetsel said she doesn’t believe other council members on the town board would be receptive to the town buying the church and they’d rather see money go to other areas.

“I don’t think they’d support it,” Whetsel said.

District 2 Legislator Sam Oliverio and longtime resident said he hopes the not-for-profit is successful, though if the group can’t get their act together, he would like to see the town attempt to buy the church.

He fears that if the non-profit doesn’t purchase it, a private citizen will step forward and turn the church into another use, losing the historical aspect of it.

“I’d rather see it in the hands of somebody who’s going to use it for an art center or a performance center,” he said. “Than an individual who’s going to buy it and make it into a home or maybe even God forbid rip it down.”

A petition that supports a non-profit taking over the church is being spread and as of Friday afternoon has about 50 signatures and will be presented at Wednesday’s meeting.

“We want to make a kind of thing that will ensure the fact that this building, which is on the national historic register,” Allen said. “Will remain.”