Abandoned 1837 Church Is Transformed Into a Beautiful 37-Acre Catskills Retreat—Complete With a Bell Tower Library

An early 19th-century Greek Revival church that was left abandoned on two separate occasions has been "meticulously reimagined" into a stunning $3 million retreat in upstate New York.

Spanning just over 37 acres at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, the property retains its original 1837 timber frame, with exposed hand-hewn beams creating a dramatic impression from the moment you step inside the door.

"The real standout is the great room, which is the church itself," says listing agent Annabel Taylor, of Four Seasons–Sotheby's International Realty. "Of course, all of those exposed beams provide such a 'wow' factor as well."

Those beams are just one of the many hallmarks of the property's former life as a religious institution—one that came to an end in the 1990s, by which point it had fallen into such a dire state that it was facing demolition.

Nearly three decades later, new life has been breathed into the property at the hands of architects Nik Vekic and Quinn Marquardt, who bought the disused church for the relatively low price of $425,000 in 2023, years after a previous attempt to salvage the structure had been abandoned.

At the time, the church, which had been disassembled and moved from its former site to Gilboa, NY, was in a disastrous state. However, that didn't stop Vekic and Marquardt of ICDT Studio from seeing the potential in the gutted remains.

"A previous owner moved the church to its current location with the intention of turning it into a residence, but that vision was never fully realized," Taylor says. "The sellers completed the project and also put on an addition.

"They also expanded the lower level with additional living space. It's a very large structure that has a big communal great room, but there is a large separation of space so you can also have a lot of privacy."

Vekic and Marquardt spent two years transforming the church into the stunning 6,242-square-foot sanctuary that exists today—one that pays homage to its heritage, while providing an array of modern amenities.

"When we first walked through it, we could see the original timber frame structure of the church, and we both realized the potential of that," Vekic told Mansion Global.

The church's soaring ceilings served as the inspiration for its incredible great room, which features an open floor plan, an eye-catching central fireplace, and an enormous dining space with a table that stretches from one side of the space to the other.

As for the building's bell tower, the design duo transformed it into a library, with shelves of books stretching up to large windows that fill the space with natural light.

Also found throughout the dramatic interior are a 600-bottle, temperature-controlled wine room hidden under the staircase, which is accessed through steel doors; a guest wing with a four-bed bunk room; and a home office perched atop the third floor with a separate staircase in the former church's steeple.

"They were inspired by the structure of the church, but this is the first church transformation they have done," she says. "It makes for a stunning residence. They are very creative people who own a design studio."

Other designer highlights include a floor-to-ceiling gas stove in the great room, a dining room designed for grand-scale entertaining, and a chef's kitchen with marble countertops and a butler's pantry with a second sink and a hidden paneled refrigerator.

A walk-out level features a media room with a wet bar and a laundry room with dual washer/dryers.

The finished product, as it were, could be purchased as a turnkey retreat—or could be viewed as the foundation for a larger, compound-style property or investment opportunity, Taylor notes.

"There is no zoning in the town of Balboa, so you could also have a hospitality business because there are no restrictions," she notes.

"With 30 acres, you could also subdivide the property. There are walking trails, streams, waterfalls, and rock outcroppings. So aside from the residence, the property is super beautiful. You can go for a hike and never actually leave the property. It's incredible.

"It is located in the foothills of the Catskills Mountains, so it has a great retreat feeling, yet you can be at the Windham Mountain Club in 20 minutes. The property could work for so many people. A no-brainer would be a family, but it could also go to a couple who loves to entertain."