The building was put up for sale in 2018 and eventually purchased to be converted into a multi-family residential apartment building.
Commonwealth
Park Place United Methodist Church
Building Documentation & Scanning
Historic Building Renovation
Historic Research
Historic Tax Credit Consulting
Local Design Review Consulting
Park Place UMC
Partners
Monument Construction
Catalyst Design Studio
Virginia Department of Historic Resources
National Park Service
Project Goals
Park Place UMC operated for a century before closing its doors in 2016 after a drastic decline in its congregation.
Project Design
The building had undergone several historical renovations as a result of two major fires during the period of significance.
Ultimately the church’s sanctuary was fully retained in its historic configuration and other original spaces and historic materials, like third floor classrooms and vaulted tin ceilings that had been abandoned or covered, were recaptured and reactivated.
Challenges & Accomplishments
Church conversions are challenging because of the requirement to retain the sanctuary as the primary public space within the building.
The building’s wide central corridors were also retained in their historic configuration while secondary office and classroom space were converted to residential units. Ultimately the project yielded 58 apartment units from the 66,000 square feet available.