T
he Historical Commission has given the green light to a plan by Atlis Real Estate Partners to revitalize and redevelop the historic True Gospel Tabernacle Family Church at 1900 S. 16th St., which has been a South Philadelphia landmark for over 120 years. The proposal involves transforming the church into 33 residential units, along with a rentable event space in the former sanctuary. This plan has been widely praised by preservationists, who see it as a model for future adaptive reuse of similar properties.
Philadelphia's track record on preserving historic places of worship is mixed, with 12 such buildings lost since 2017 and another 28 demolished between 2009 and 2016. However, there are signs that the tide may be turning, with more churches being repurposed as housing or mixed-use developments. According to Partners For Sacred Places, a non-profit organization that works to save old religious buildings, prior to 2017 two dozen churches had been converted into single-family homes or apartment buildings.
Renovating historic churches into housing can be challenging, particularly when it comes to preserving the sanctuary space. The logistics of adding residential units within these large, open spaces can be tricky, and efforts to change them can provoke opposition from community members who value these spaces as beloved neighborhood landmarks. However, some developers are finding creative solutions to this challenge.
Atlis Real Estate Partners' plan for 1900 S. 16th St. is a case in point. The company's architect has proposed a 4,300-square-foot event space that will be preserved and restored, while also generating revenue through rentals. This approach fits within the formula recommended by Bob Jaeger, president of Partners For Sacred Places, for the best reuses of sanctuary spaces: performance, community, or commercial uses that preserve the original intent of these historic buildings.
"Housing is often a pressing need in a community," said Jaeger. "From our point of view, [we hope] a historic church like that can be preserved in a way that keeps it as a civic place, a public place."
