Church plans approved.

The designs have been approved for the adaptive re-use of a 19th century church and rectory at 264-266 Cumberland Street, in the Clinton Hill Historic District section of Brooklyn, which will fully utilize the existing facades, while adding a third story to the rectory with an historically accurate mansard roof, announces Robert M. Scarano, principal of Scarano Architects PLLC.

In addition to maintaining original design details such as those found in the glass and wood church doors and steeple-shaped windows, the architects are replacing the modern shingled roof with a traditional standing metal roof. Moreover, the Scarano designers are even exchanging the current fence, a 1940's renovation, with a reproduction of the original one found in early turn-of-the-century photographs of the church.

"Leading the design team on this project is Sylvia Ott, a wonderful designer who has painstakingly researched nearly every detail in the original facades," says Mr. Scarano. "Our first adaptive re-use of a church, The Arches of Cobble Hill at 101 Warren Street, was well-received by the local community and Landmarks Commission and went on to win five major design awards.

"The community benefited in so many ways because there was no demolition, only the restoration of an old, beautifully built structure made useful again. And now we have an opportunity to repeat this successful adaptation process."

The developer of the property is the Kay Organization. The anticipated date of completion is late 2007.