Hancock United Church of Christ / Lexington MA

Hancock Church is a complex of four interconnected buildings dating from 1892 to 1960. The church is located directly across the street from the Historic Battle Green in Lexington, MA. Mills Whitaker Architects was retained to evaluate the facility, prepare a master plan and develop options for implementation of phased improvements in concert with sequential capital campaigns.

The study involved assessment of existing conditions, review of prioritized goals, and preparation of conceptual designs with phased budgets. The first phase of work, completed in 2015, involved significant improvements to interior orientation that included an 6-stop elevator, 3-story stair to replace disjointed stairways, accessible toilet rooms and other prioritized renovations. The project received a Boston Society of Architects award for integrating accessibility into historic structures. Design work on the second phase, scheduled to start in 2019, will provide further improvements to the Sanctuary and Chapel areas for better acoustics, lighting and accessibility to the Chancel.

M I L L S   W H I T A K E R   A R C H I T E C T S