St. Alban’s Episcopal
The roots of this humble gothic church go back to 1865, when a group of farmers joined together to erect a small wooden stick gothic structure, which in 1873 was moved to the present location of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Staten Island. When the church was relocated and renovated in the 1870s, the updated Gothic Revivialist church was designed by architect Richard Mitchell Upjohn, who was a second generation gothic church architect. Upjohn and his father (also named Richard) were well known throughout the Northeast United States for their Victorian Gothic style, which is characterized by unique and “eccentric angular details.”
The Upjohns were known for working within the bounds of affordability, building grand gothic style churches for Episcopal parishes of modest means. Most, like St. Alban’s, were made of wood and featured board-and-batten siding. St. Alban’s is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a New York City and New York State landmark building. The interior of the church was renovated in the 1980s to update and modernize the altar. Originally painted all white, when the church was updated in the 1980s, the exterior was repainted in authentic Victorian colors.
Unique and full of character, St. Alban’s has one of the most decorative yet simple gothic interiors. Many of the rough wood details, with the elaborate authentic Victorian painting create a decorative but humble aesthetic that is one of a kind. With extensive grounds, parking, and several large spaces perfect for holding and catering, St. Alban’s Episcopal offers crews a versatile location on Staten Island.
76 St. Albans Place, Staten Island, NYC.
