Historic Endicott Church Property to Get New Life with New Owner

An iconic building in the village of Endicott that was the home of the First United Methodist Church for more than a century has been sold.

David Dzuba of the town of Union has acquired the property at McKinley Avenue and Monroe Street. He told WNBF News the transaction was completed last Thursday.

The church closed after years of declining membership. Its final service was held in February 2023.

The property - which included a connected school building - had been listed for sale with an asking price of $499,000.

Dzuba said he has a love for historic buildings and wanted to save the church. It had been under contract with another prospective buyer for a time but that deal fell through.

Dzuba said he's excited about the prospects of redeveloping the property, which has nearly 38,000 square feet of usable space.

One of the first projects being pursued for the site is a daycare center. Area residents have been laying the groundwork for such a facility in recent months.

The center would use several former classrooms in the lower level of the school building. Organizers hope the daycare operation initially would have a capacity for up to 60 children.

Dzuba has spent a lot of time imagining a range of uses for other sections of the property, including turning the old church into a performing arts center. He said it could be similar to what's been done with a former church in Homer.

Dzuba said an area that had been used as the church library could be transformed into a café. The school had a large dining area that could be used as an event venue.

The main church building was constructed in 1919 on land donated by Endicott Johnson Shoe Company founder George F. Johnson. IBM founder Thomas J. Watson Sr. attended services at the church.

Dzuba said he wants to turn the former church property into a "gem" that will be treasured by the community.

WNBF NEWS VIDEO: A two-minute tour of a portion of the old Endicott church site on October 14, 2024.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.