Christian Science church property sells for $5 million

The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Winter Park has sold a portion of its property to a developer for $5 million, documents filed Wednesday show.

Church leaders had said they planned to sign the deal Friday, and the deed shows that is what happened. The price was $5,035,000. The church had been waiting for a favorable vote by the Winter Park planning and zoning board, which met earlier last week and unanimously recommended that the City Commission approve the changes sought by Condev Land.

The Winter Park company plans to build 16 town houses that will be priced from $1.8 million to $2.4 million.

The church, like many, has been struggling with declining membership. The congregation at 650 N. New York Ave. voted to sell the prime land facing the Winter Park Golf Course and build a new building on the south portion of the property.

However, a couple of longtime members opposed the demolition of the Greek revival church designed by noted Winter Park architect James Gamble Rogers II and built in 1958.

He also built Casa Feliz, a historic house a block from the church that preservationists saved from the wrecking ball 12 years ago. It is now a museum and wedding venue.

Proponents said the move, which will level two other buildings on the church campus, will ensure the survival of the congregation, which plans to meet in a temporary location during construction.

The new 7,000-square-foot church will incorporate the office, school and child-care center into one building on a little less than an acre. The town houses will be on a 1.43-acre parcel facing New York and Whipple avenues.

The City Commission is set to vote on the project Oct. 23.

The church-operated Christian Science Reading Room on Park Avenue downtown won’t be affected.