A two-story Art Deco commercial complex in downtown Poughkeepsie, owned by a church congregation since the early 18th century.
At a glance
The Church Building stands at the corner of Main and Market Streets in downtown Poughkeepsie, New York. It is a complex of stores and other commercial space, owned by the Reformed Dutch Church of Poughkeepsie. The congregation has held the land since 1717 and receives the rental income. The building anchors the western end of Main Mall, the city’s former pedestrian mall. It faces the Dutchess County Court House across Market Street and sits north of the Bardavon Theater.
History
The land beneath the building has belonged to the Reformed Dutch Church of Poughkeepsie since 1717. That long ownership explains the building’s name and its purpose: the rental income from the shops and offices benefits the church. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It was the western anchor of Main Mall, the city’s former pedestrian mall.
What you see
The Church Building is considered the best example of Art Deco architecture in Poughkeepsie, where most commercial buildings predate the style’s 1930s popularity. Its two stories carry tilework designs that suggest Native American aesthetics. Along the shop cornices runs floral and patterned metalwork. Polished green and black marble appears inside. Ribbed pilasters separate the windows. Above and below the roof parapets, a multicolored chevron pattern completes the facade. The interior remains intact, though some offices and shops have been modernized. One former office still holds its original condition.
Cultural significance
The building matters locally for two reasons. It is the city’s strongest example of Art Deco commercial design. It also embodies a rare pattern of institutional land ownership, with a church congregation holding and profiting from downtown commercial property for over three centuries.
Key facts
- Country: United States
- State: New York
- City: Poughkeepsie
- Coordinates: 41.70388889, -73.92888889
- National Register of Historic Places: 1982
Practical information & getting there
The building is at the corner of Main and Market Streets in downtown Poughkeepsie. The Dutchess County Court House stands directly across Market Street; the Bardavon Theater is just to the south.
Sources & resources
Find it on the map
See this place and what’s around it →📷 Become a Cultural Heritage Online photographer
Share your photos of places: they stay published under your name as the author. The more they're seen, the more you get noticed — and soon a contest will reward the most appreciated photos.
Log in or sign up free to add a photoIs this page about you?
This page is read by travellers and heritage enthusiasts who find it on Google. Tell us how you are connected to this place and we will take it from there.