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The Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons in Shinnecock Hills will begin construction next month on a new sanctuary, following years of roadblocks, including lawsuits filed by neighbors of the church seeking to prevent the project.
According to the Reverend Alex Karloutsos, the church’s pastor, contractors recently cleared land on the property for three buildings. He said that the church originally broke ground on the project in 2003, but construction was halted after neighbors filed lawsuits, asserting that the church was building a catering hall at the site.
“We won them all,” Father Alex said of the lawsuits. “The most important thing is that we’ve moved forward and we embrace our neighbors, even those who sued us. We welcome them to church grounds.”
The $10 million project includes a new church, cultural center and administrative office on the sanctuary’s current grounds to accommodate the church’s expanding congregation. The entire project is being funded by the donations of parishioners.
Congregants will continue to worship in the church’s current building until the cultural center is erected. The current church, built in 1985, will be demolished shortly after.
Laura Cooper on May 25, 2011