Historic Church Building Could House Greenwich Nonprofit's Headquarters: Planning And Zoning Docs

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Tree Conservancy, the nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve and enhance the tree and forest resources of Greenwich, is looking to utilize the historic Dingletown Church building as its new headquarters and base of operations, according to documents submitted to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission.

The Greenwich Tree Conservancy is proposing a change of use of the Dingletown Church property at 376 Stanwich Road from "nonprofit religious" to "nonprofit educational."

Dingletown Church was originally built to serve a Methodist congregation in north Greenwich that originally formed around 1830, submitted documents say.

In 1839, a group of congregants acquired land approximately one mile south of 376 Stanwich Road to use for religious purposes, and a small white clapboard church building was built there in 1845 and used by the Methodist congregation.

After the death of the church's minister in 1935, the church was closed and the property was sold to Dr. William Darrach, a college professor, who reopened the church during World War II as a non-denominational house of worship for residents of all faiths.

Over the next decade, the original church property was developed to include a carriage barn, rectory, schoolhouse, and a general store, which included a blacksmith.

The original church site was deemed too small, and an alternate site was selected to accommodate the church use, Planning & Zoning documents say.

In May 1958, the Dingletown Community Church purchased the property at 376 Stanwich Road and relocated and operated the church at its current location.

From 1959 through April 2025, the Dingletown Community Church continued to operate as a non-denominational house of worship at the 2.2-acre site.

The property was formally conveyed to the Greenwich Land Trust on April 24.

Dingletown Community Church, the Greenwich Land Trust, and the Greenwich Tree Conservancy "engaged in a collaborative process to define the long-term use and protection of the site and establish the legal mechanism necessary to realize their shared goals," said Bruce F. Cohen, attorney for the applicant The Greenwich Tree Conservancy, in submitted documents.

Subject to approvals, the Greenwich Land Trust will convey the land to the Greenwich Tree Conservancy for its use.

The Greenwich Tree Conservancy currently rents a small office at the Greenwich Botanical Center, located within Greenwich's Montgomery Pinetum Park, and offers classes in various partner-venues throughout town, Cohen explained.

The existing church building has a total flor area of 1,564 square feet. The 817-square-foot main level, historically used for religious services, contains an altar and pew seating.

The 747-square-foot lower level includes a small meeting room, storage area, kitchenette, and a single non-accessible bathroom, which serves as the building's only lavatory.

The main floor would be re-purposed as a classroom and lecture space, while the lower level would be adapted for office use, including a small conference room, submitted documents say.

According to Cohen, anticipated uses at 376 Stanwich Road include: educational classes/lectures; hands-on tree care workshops; expert tree panel discussions; family art classes; botanical art classes; assorted indoor/outdoor programs to inspire an appreciation for trees as meditation, drawing, photography, or fact-finding scavenger hunts; and periodic onsite educational programs for class field trips from local schools to teach students about the role trees play in the community's health and well-being.

"While GTC will take time to settle into its new home, it would begin by offering 1-2 programs a month, working up to lectures and small classes of 20-25 people once a week, with a larger lecture-style class of about 35 people one a month," Cohen said.

A small office in the building's lower level is anticipated to provide a home for the GTC director and potentially a staff person.

Occasional GTC board meetings and small committee meetings would also be held on the site.

Site modifications would be kept "to the minimum extent practical" to ensure safe and effective use of the premises, Cohen noted.

There are no material exterior alterations being proposed for the historic church building.

The Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission is expected to conduct a pre-application review on the proposal in coming weeks.

The pre-application process allows for a non-binding discussion with the commission about the pros and cons of a proposal before a substantial investment is made in developing plans, reports and studies.