After years of planning and months of hard work by hundreds of volunteers, construction of the Jevoah's Witnesses Westbury Kingdom Hall is nearly completed.

The 9,000 square-foot structure, located at 901 Brush Hollow Road, is expected to be open for services within two months. It will serve as a central house of worship for the approximately 600 to 800 Jehovah's Witnesses currently active in local ministry.

According to John Scotidas, presiding overseer of the Westbury Congregation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, the new hall is highly anticipated, because it will serve as a central gathering place for several local congregations now scattered throughout Long Island. Following the opening of the church, groups which will immediately begin gathering there include: the Westbury congregation, which is currently worshiping in a meeting hall in Uniondale, the Hicksville congregation, currently meeting in Massapequa, the Plainview congregation, now meeting at a kingdom hall in Farmingdale, and a Spanish-speaking congregation from the Jericho/Westbury/Hicksville area, which has been worshiping at a kingdom hall in Melville. Within a few months after the opening, a second Spanish-speaking group, as well as a hearing-impaired group which uses sign-language in worship, are expected to join those already at the new hall.

"We're very excited," said Scotidas.

David Correnti, presiding overseer of the Plainview congregation, added, "And, basically, we are on schedule."

Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian organization funded by voluntary donations, noted Correnti. Describing the mission of the organization, he explained, "We are a bible-preaching and teaching organization. Our mission is to spread the good news of God's kingdom as revealed in His Word, the Holy Bible, and to teach interested people the Bible, and how they can benefit - personally and as families - by living according to the Bible's principles."

The new Westbury church features two stories, with an altar and bathrooms on both floors, as well as meeting rooms. The structure also includes an attached, one-bedroom apartment for use by a traveling minister and his wife. The minister currently travels throughout the eastern seaboard of the U.S. to serve Korean-speaking congregations. He will use the apartment at the Westbury hall when visiting for the purpose of serving those in the metropolitan New York area.

Correnti noted that the organization worked with the Village of Westbury to gain compliance with the local zoning code, with regard to the new hall, and to ensure ample parking at the facility. He noted that the parking lot is equipped with 132 spaces.

Correnti expressed confidence that the new house of worship will be a "positive force in the Westbury community." He also expressed gratitude for the positive feedback the project has received from several surrounding neighbors.

Scotidas extended thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who toiled for countless hours, to construct both the exterior and interior of the building. "That has been a labor of love on their part," he said. "It's been very faith-strengthening, and it's really built a bond of comradery."