THE PROJECT

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now." Goethe

Overview of Project

In the fall of 2001, members of the Saratoga Springs community and the Universal Baptist Church joined together to form a unique, non-religious, not-for-profit corporation known as the Saratoga Springs Universal Preservation Hall, LLC, to save the Universal Baptist Church building at 25 Washington Street and transform it into a significant and high quality meeting, event and performance venue. In December 2002, the organization applied for and received 501c3 status.

Architectural and Historical Significance

The church building has significant historic and architectural importance and is located in one of Saratoga Springs’ National Historic Districts. Built in 1871 by a Methodist Episcopal congregation, it is one of the earliest examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture in the country. Its steeple, with a giant Meneely bell, is one of the city’s last tall spires. In 1999, in recognition of the building's significance, a joint program of the White House Millennium Council and the National Trust for Historic Preservation designated the church as an official project of Save America's Treasures.