Commercial building to become house of worship
Redeemer makes move to Cooper
Five years ago, Redeemer Presbyterian Church tried but failed to buy a historic, traditional-looking and traditionally sized church on a major Midtown corner.
Redeemer applied for a permit to renovate a much smaller building built in 1957 as a commercial structure at 651 S. Cooper.
Redeemer’s pastor says the congregation aspired to be a megachurch, but its purchase of a relatively small building may reflect how mid-city churches are adapting in an increasingly secular country.
Many churches face a common problem of shrinking membership, struggling to maintain real estate facilities that don’t retract with church resources.
Evergreen Presbyterian, for example, recently sold its building to neighboring Rhodes College and now rents a vastly smaller space for worship.
Membership at Union Avenue United Methodist Church, whose building Redeemer sought to buy five years ago, dwindled to the point that the congregation simply folded itself into another church and sold the building to CVS pharmacy instead of Redeemer Presbyterian. CVS demolished the historic structure.
Redeemer’s new home should open in early 2016 across the sidestreet Cowden from Otherlands coffee shop, and a half-dozen blocks south of where Union Avenue Methodist once stood at Union and Cooper.
Records show Redeemer purchased in May for $437,000 the 8,172-square-foot commercial office building.
The permit application values the exterior and interior renovation at $864,805. Grinder, Taber & Grinder will do the construction; archimania designed the renovation.
Redeemer has been renting various spaces over the years for its worship services, most recently at Snowden School.
The building has a few front windows, but the renovation will greatly expand the front glass to visually connect the people inside with people on the street and sidewalk. Skylights will be installed to increase the natural light inside. The church will comprise the sanctuary, lobby, office space and three classrooms.