Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

[nickyrosstheboss]

IMO Save the church and turn it into a multi use building. Build the new structure on another empty lot. I'm always for any development we can get, but this seems unnecessary. If we didn't have a ton of empty lots then this would be a completely different conversation.

[AlbertHammond]

The thing I worry about with that type of deal though is that the congregation will continue to get smaller and smaller until it doesn't exist anymore. I mean, how many Christian Scientists does one even encounter in KC. So they eventually cease to exist anyway and a perfectly good church building--in a great location--is gone.

Why not sell to a growing congregation who needs a bigger space, and work out a sharing agreement where each congregation meets at a different time on Sunday? Most churches sit empty most of the time, so sharing them makes a lot of sense.

This is similar to how Jacob's Well Church in Westport got their building. The old congregation in that old building was dwindling, so they allowed the upstart JW congregation to have Sunday afternoon services there (paying rent to help maintain the building). As the old congregation saw the writing on the wall and the new congregation grew, they sold to JW at a reasonable cost. Why "sell" instead of "give"? Perhaps to pay off debts? I don't know. I would think giving would make the most sense to allow the building to continue doing God's work, unless the new congregation is very different in beliefs.

[shinatoo]

Giving the church away. I don't know what situation the Plaza church is in, but most churches carry a debt of some sort. So giving it away typically isn't the best option.

Rarely is a church only used on Sunday mornings. I would say that a small church even has events 5 days a week. Weddings, funerals, choir practice, business meetings, preschool, parents night out, support groups, recovery groups, social groups, concerts, anniversary parties, retirement parties, tons of senior adult events, those are just ones I can name off the top of my head.

[flyingember]

Giving the church away. I don't know what situation the Plaza church is in, but most churches carry a debt of some sort. So giving it away typically isn't the best option.

Rarely is a church only used on Sunday mornings. I would say that a small church even has events 5 days a week. Weddings, funerals, choir practice, business meetings, preschool, parents night out, support groups, recovery groups, social groups, concerts, anniversary parties, retirement parties, tons of senior adult events, those are just ones I can name off the top of my head.

The Scouts would have a hard time without churches. In many communities the only space for 50-60 people with classrooms, a meeting room and a kitchen is a school or a church. It's not uncommon that the church uses the building Wednesday and the different ages of Scouts use it two more nights.

[shinatoo]

Giving the church away. I don't know what situation the Plaza church is in, but most churches carry a debt of some sort. So giving it away typically isn't the best option.

Rarely is a church only used on Sunday mornings. I would say that a small church even has events 5 days a week. Weddings, funerals, choir practice, business meetings, preschool, parents night out, support groups, recovery groups, social groups, concerts, anniversary parties, retirement parties, tons of senior adult events, those are just ones I can name off the top of my head.

The Scouts would have a hard time without churches. In many communities the only space for 50-60 people with classrooms, a meeting room and a kitchen is a school or a church. It's not uncommon that the church uses the building Wednesday and the different ages of Scouts use it two more nights.

Yeah, I forgot about the Scouts and all the other youth group activities.

[beautyfromashes]

Giving the church away. I don't know what situation the Plaza church is in, but most churches carry a debt of some sort. So giving it away typically isn't the best option.

That church has been around for, what, 100 years. If they haven’t paid that building off by now, I’d be surprised. In all likelihood, it was paid off very quickly after being built. Usually, congregations used to raise funds and built a building with donated cash. In effect, this church is now taking something built and given for them, a building meant to be a legacy for future generations and selling it to be torn down. I find that to be pretty ugly. It sure doesn’t honor those who sacrificed to build the church.

[snigglefritz]

The initial pay-off may have occurred long ago, but don't forget about any financing they may have had to take out over the years for improvements, renovations, repairs, etc. Probably not an enormous balance, but depending on the church leadership over the years, there's no telling how effectively they've been managing their debts.

[FangKC]

They usually have to borrow money to replace the roof, and often to replace the furnace or AC units. If it's a affluent church, someone probably donates the money for those things, but in many churches, they have to borrow the money.

[beautyfromashes]

^ If the building is fully paid for years ago and they can’t even cover basic maintenance, they’re not a viable church. Selling to a developer to tear down the building is like selling your moms wedding ring when she dies, the one she got from her grandmother.

[TheLastGentleman]

Linking the pictures from the facebook group here for convenience

[missingkc]

Will be a shame if it goes. Nice in its own right and a nice stylistic counterpoint to Unity.

[taxi]

I hope somebody saves those poor plants.

[Midtownkid]

It would be a great place for Jack Stack on the Plaza to move it. The ceiling reminds me of their Freight House location. The patio would be way bigger and more of a garden setting.

[nickyrosstheboss]

Something like this would be awesome!

[snigglefritz]

I've plugged it before and I'll plug it again, a restaurant/brewery in the vein of Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh, PA would be so damn awesome.

https://bit.ly/2GcEwwx

[smh]

See also Taft's in Cincy.

[FangKC]

I think the food hall concept would work here as well.

[beautyfromashes]

Why is no one talented enough to pair this with an attached tower as either a lobby or office entrance/retail? Seems so lazy to tear this down. Smh

[chaglang]

I'm good with losing it.

[GRID]

I agree with not destroying great buildings, but this church is just not that great. It's not that old. It's not that interesting. It's not well utilized.

It would be better to see the new tower built on an empty lot, but this is not a bad project. When combined with the new office tower, that entire area will come to life.