A historic Black church in Charlotte may soon become condos.
Built in 1927 and designed by one of Charlotte’s preeminent architects, the historic Wesley Heights Methodist is now slated to become condominiums if a certificate of appropriateness filed with the Charlotte Historic District Commission is approved, according to WBTV.
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David Wales, listed as the applicant/owner of the slated Villa Emmanuel condominium project, filed the application detailing how the building would be renovated. However, some of the commission staff have already expressed concerns that the project would take away from the “original, character-defining stained-glass windows,” reported WBTV.
When the church was first built, a white congregation worshiped at Wesley Heights Methodist. Since then, it has become predominantly Black, media outlets reported.
“What is really sad is that there was a backup contract to save the church, including the interior, and use it as the home for a host of agencies to help people,” Dan Morrill, a Charlotte historic preservationist, said in a Facebook post.
J’Tanya Adams, the founder and program director of the non-profit, Historic West End Partners, told The Charlotte Observer that she initially wanted her charity to buy the property and that she would have preserved the church’s features and mainly used space in the building, as well as the parsonage, for performing and culinary arts. Morrill backed this project.
Adams told the newspaper that she was also being supported by Hugh McColl, the former Bank of America CEO, who met with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission in October to attempt to raise support for Adams’ project. Since the commission “buys and sells endangered historic landmarks through its $9 million revolving fund and places preservation covenants in the deeds when the properties are sold,” McColl was attempting to get the commission to buy the church and sell it to Historic West End Partners.
However, Adams reportedly was not able to explain how her non-profit would be able to come up with the funds to pay for the church.
Louis Asbury Sr., one of Charlotte’s premier architects, designed the church. “He also designed Myers Park Methodist,” Morrill said in a Facebook post. “Can you imagine putting condos there?”
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