Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church

The Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church is the largest Presbyterian sanctuary in Manhattan with nearly 4,000 congregants, and one of the largest in the country.

When we started our work, this 130-year-old church was in desperate need of utility upgrades. This award-winning project involved new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems for the main sanctuary as well as the new 13,000 SF below-grade Christian Education Center.

Also part of the project was the design for three new electric chillers with a 180-ton capacity.

Our biggest challenge with this project was figuring out how to deliver air-conditioning to the main sanctuary without visually impacting the magnificent interior. Obstructive ductwork was immediately ruled out.

After a handful of brainstorming sessions, our team came up with an HVAC design that used the existing 1870’s footrests to deliver convection heat and air conditioning.