Second Church of Christ, Scientist (Manhattan) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Second Church of Christ Scientist
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
(2020)
Location	77 Central Park West (10 West 68th Street) Manhattan, New York City
Built	1901
Architect	Frederick R. Comstock
Part of	Central Park West Historic District (ID82001189)

The Second Church of Christ, Scientist building is a beautiful historic church in New York City. It is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, right near Central Park West and West 68th Street. This area is part of the Central Park West Historic District, which means it's a special place with many important buildings.

A Look at the Church Building

This church building was designed by an architect named Frederick R. Comstock. It was built between 1899 and 1901. The style of the building is called Beaux-Arts. This style was popular around that time. It often features grand, fancy designs with lots of details, like columns and sculptures.

Restoring a Historic Building

Over time, old buildings need care to stay in good shape. Starting in 2005, the church building went through a big restoration project. A company called Sydness Architects helped with this work. Their plan was to clean the outside of the building. They also worked to make the beautiful stained-glass windows strong again. The copper dome on top of the church was made waterproof. They even planned to light up the skylight, making it shine.

How the Churches Joined Together

In 2003, something important happened for the Christian Science churches in New York. The Second Church of Christ, Scientist joined together with the First Church of Christ, Scientist. The First Church's building was on 96th Street. After the churches merged, that building was sold.

The new, combined church kept the name First Church of Christ, Scientist. However, the members decided to worship at the former Second Church building. This is the building on 68th Street that you can see today.