The Finch Group, a multifaceted real estate developer and property management company, has recently announced the opening of the new Wakefield Grace United Methodist Church complex in the Bronx. This new structure will transform the current Wakefield Grace United Methodist Church, a Bronx structure since 1887, into a 72-unit low-income apartment building (Section) for the elderly. This project is the result of an effort initiated with the Church's participation in the New York Territorial Opportunity Program (NYLOP). The plan consists of taking advantage of the value of the Church's land, the 9% tax credits for low-income housing, and the loans (SARA) granted through New York City's & Development program to help finance construction.
The Wesley United Methodist Church of Ghana, in Brooklyn, New York (as the church was originally called), began as a branch of the United Methodist Church of Ghana in Manhattan (now the United Methodist Church of Ghana in the Bronx). In April 1988, some Brooklyn members decided to form a prayer group that eventually became the Wesley United Methodist Church of Ghana in Brooklyn. The complex will also include a new church that will now be able to expand the vital social services they offer to older people, as well as to people and children in the community. The new Wakefield Grace United Methodist Church Complex has received tremendous support from local political leaders, including New York City's 11th District Councilman Eric Dinowitz, Community Board 12, and religious leaders, including Bishop Thomas Bickerton, of the New York United Methodist Church's Annual Conference.
The mission of the Wesley United Methodist Church of Ghana is to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ in a compassionate and loving way to people who live and work in Brooklyn and the surrounding area. Five years ago, the church hired The Finch Group to work with them to create a development plan that would result in a new Church and complementary uses. The Wakefield Grace United Methodist Church Complex is an innovative project that seeks to provide affordable housing for elderly people in an area with a shortage of this type of housing. It is also an example of how churches can use their resources to benefit their communities by providing social services and creating new opportunities for those who need it most.
The mission statement of this project is to provide a safe and secure environment for elderly people while also providing spiritual guidance and support for those living in and around Brooklyn. The Finch Group's Wakefield Grace United Methodist Church Complex is an inspiring example of how churches can use their resources to benefit their communities. This project has been made possible through generous support from local political leaders, religious leaders, and The Finch Group. The complex will provide 72 units of low-income housing for elderly people in an area with a shortage of this type of housing.
It will also offer spiritual guidance and support for those living in and around Brooklyn. This project is an example of how churches can use their resources to create new opportunities for those who need it most.
