Aiming to preserve the Denniston House, home to the Island’s first African-American church, the Island Affordable Housing Fund this week announced a partnership with the Martha’s Vineyard chapter of the NAACP to raise the money needed to pay off the mortgage on the Bradley Square property in Oak Bluffs in the next six months.

T. Ewell Hopkins, executive director of the fund, said his organization owes about $700,000 on a note with the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank. The property is located on the corner of Dukes County and Masonic avenues.

Mr. Hopkins said retiring the debt would give the fund a boost heading into the summer fund-raising season. “You have to walk before you run, and paying off the debt on this project is an important first step,” he said.

He said it remains unclear whether the final plans for Bradley Square will include the preservation of the Denniston House, named after the late Oscar E. Denniston, founder of the Bradley Memorial Church.

After the Oak Bluffs community preservation committee recently denied the fund’s request for $400,000 for Bradley Square, Mr. Hopkins said the fund might abandon the historic preservation aspect of the project.

But this week he said the Vineyard NAACP chapter supports preserving the old church if possible.

The current plan for Bradley Square, already approved by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and the Oak Bluffs zoning board of appeals, calls for the NAACP to have a permanent office located inside the restored Denniston building.

“I know [the NAACP] considers that property sacred ground, so it would make sense to try and preserve the old church. But we need to come up with a plan that is financially feasible and responsible. If we were to preserve the building, and then not be in a position to maintain the properly, that would not be responsible,” Mr. Hopkins said, adding:

“I think we will have a better idea of what this project will be in a few months.”

Laurie Perry-Henry, president of the Island chapter of the NAACP, said in a statement that she was pleased to assist with raising money for the Bradley Square project. “To have our office in a location with such a rich African American history is an honor. Rev. Denniston’s mission was so similar to our own. In a sense, we are continuing his work,” she said.