KenH
Well-Known Member
"Every year, about 7,000 churches in the United States close their doors, the Christian ministers’ organization Pastoral Care estimates. In some cases, members’ numbers have declined, and those who remain cannot support the considerable cost of maintaining the buildings.
Many are architectural gems in residential neighborhoods built 100 years ago, when money bought far more stone and stained glass than it does today.
Some church structures are being acquired by growing denominations, or congregations established by new immigrant groups. But more than a few are allowed to decay, or are being razed and the land put to secular uses. ...
Developer Scott Brehman, of Main Line reBuild, is adapting Narberth United Methodist Church, built in 1929, to residential use as Narberth Place, carving out condominiums for the downsizing-buyer market.
“A demolition guy stopped by the church unsolicited and handed me a proposal to raze and remove the building,” Brehman recalled. The cost: $250,000.
Five of six bidders on the property would have razed the church and replaced it with town houses.
Brehman chose another way. The first phase of his project — transforming the 7,500-square-foot former parsonage next to the church into three condos and constructing a “like-minded” building on the site with three more units — is sold out. In Phase Two, the 27,000-square-foot church, built in 1929, will be made over into six additional condos; work is scheduled to begin in the fall.
Prices for the 12 condos will range from $495,000 to $1.1 million, Brehman said."
- rest of article at The business of selling off old churches (naplesnews.com)
Many are architectural gems in residential neighborhoods built 100 years ago, when money bought far more stone and stained glass than it does today.
Some church structures are being acquired by growing denominations, or congregations established by new immigrant groups. But more than a few are allowed to decay, or are being razed and the land put to secular uses. ...
Developer Scott Brehman, of Main Line reBuild, is adapting Narberth United Methodist Church, built in 1929, to residential use as Narberth Place, carving out condominiums for the downsizing-buyer market.
“A demolition guy stopped by the church unsolicited and handed me a proposal to raze and remove the building,” Brehman recalled. The cost: $250,000.
Five of six bidders on the property would have razed the church and replaced it with town houses.
Brehman chose another way. The first phase of his project — transforming the 7,500-square-foot former parsonage next to the church into three condos and constructing a “like-minded” building on the site with three more units — is sold out. In Phase Two, the 27,000-square-foot church, built in 1929, will be made over into six additional condos; work is scheduled to begin in the fall.
Prices for the 12 condos will range from $495,000 to $1.1 million, Brehman said."
- rest of article at The business of selling off old churches (naplesnews.com)
