▁on ▁June ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁church ▁was ▁built ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁growing ▁population ▁of ▁Greek ▁imm igr ants ▁in ▁Low ell ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁Const ruction ▁started ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁and ▁the ▁church ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁church ▁in ▁America ▁that ▁was ▁built ▁specifically ▁for ▁a ▁Greek ▁con greg ation . ▁It ▁was ▁accepted ▁for ▁inclusion ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁con greg ation ▁started ▁rest oration ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁church . ▁The ▁exterior ▁was ▁ref urb ished , ▁and ▁the ▁water ▁damage ▁in ▁the ▁interior ▁is ▁being ▁rep a ired . ▁In ▁addition , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁icon ▁mur als ▁were ▁restored . ▁ ▁H ellen ic ▁American ▁Academy ▁ ▁The ▁H ellen ic ▁American ▁Academy ▁was ▁formed ▁on ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 0 6 . ▁It ▁was ▁first ▁called ▁the ▁Greek ▁Par och ial ▁School . ▁The ▁a cademy ▁was ▁first ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁bas ement ▁of ▁the ▁church . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Greek ▁Orth odox ▁Academy ▁in ▁America , ▁and ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁Greek ▁Im migr ants ▁who ▁founded ▁the ▁church . ▁The ▁Academy ▁is ▁now ▁located ▁on ▁Broadway ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁church ▁and ▁educ ates ▁children ▁in ▁gr ades ▁K - 8 . ▁