Climbing Higher – Soaring Together
120 East State began preserving, restoring, and transforming the historically designated First Presbyterian Church complex into The Steeple Center for the benefit of the downtown Trenton community in April 2022.
We have done a lot in the past two years to move the vision forward: turning the church complex into a hub for the arts, cultural activities, and economic development. We envision the Steeple Center as a place where Trentonians will be able to connect, learn, celebrate, collaborate, create, and find community in a newly vibrant place in the heart of the city.
We can’t do this alone. If we want to soar, we have to climb high together.
We need you to help us take the next step.
We ask you to join the climb by contributing to our goal of raising $100,000.
Your gift will enable us to:
- open up: make building available to community groups such as WorkWell, Trenton Sk8s, and others
- level up: build our organization’s capacity to deliver the project in service to the community
- staff up: hire personnel to accomplish our mission to serve our neighbors
How will we take the next step?
- If everyone in Trenton gave just $1.11, we’d get there.
- If 9,000 Trentonians each give $11.10, we’d be there in no time.
- If 900 Trentonians each give $111 we’ll be there lickety-split.
- If 90 Trentonians each gave $1,100, we’d be there tomorrow
We know not everyone can donate, but we ask as many as possible to give what you can.
We can do this. We can make the Steeple Center happen, climbing one step at a time.
Come Climb With Us. Let’s Soar Together.
When refurbished, the Steeple Center will transform the old church sanctuary into a 300-seat performing arts center, capable of supporting dance, music, drama, and film. It will offer state-of-the-art lighting, audio, and projection systems. We anticipate becoming a home for Trenton performing arts organizations such as the African American Cultural Collaborative of Mercer County, Capital Harmony Works, Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey, The Trenton Circus Squad, DanceSpora, and Passage Theatre Company. Conferences, ceremonies and more will be welcome here.
Plans include a Welcome and Visitor Center, with café/snack bar, gift shop, and information center, open seven days a week, creating a neighborhood amenity for residents, visitors, and historic tourists alike. First Presbyterian Church was witness to the Revolutionary War Battles of Trenton and the building is on the National Historic Register of Places.
The Steeple Center will function as a meeting and event facility supporting activities ranging from small group meetings to catered events for 300. We project users will include nonprofits with headquarters in Greater Trenton, local community groups, and individuals and families. The Steeple Center will be able to host fund-raisers, training, graduation ceremonies, family reunions, and wedding receptions.
Plans include installing a state-of-the art, fully licensed commercial kitchen. This will provide an opportunity for culinary arts job-training and expand the facility’s uses by neighborhood food-related businesses.
The Steeple Center expects to create new pedestrian-friendly outdoor plazas, paths, and green space, along with a roof terrace on the site’s Fellowship Hall that can be set up for dining or events.