What Do You Do With A 2nd Hand Church?

Several weeks ago, the Courier ran a big article about the problem former churches present on the real estate market. "Buyers are often intimidated by the cost of adapting a church for commercial or industrial use. The buildings tend to have high heating and cooling costs because of their towering ceilings and large open spaces," according to the article.

Significantly, the article did not mention two pieces of one-time church property here in town: the old Potter's House at Ruth and Sun Streets and a former Lutheran church on West Gurley.

Above, the handsome Gurley Street church. I don't have a current picture of the Potter's House; while it carried a "for sale" sign a year or so ago, there's none right now and I have seen quite a few cars in the parking lot.
Meaning that the structure might be in use. Not that there's any sort of sign to let us know.

...Meanwhile, back to Gurley Street. Here is the ramp leading to the second upper level parking lot overlooking the traffic.

At one point, it looked as though a small congregation had leased a part of the property, although the group seemed to be limited to the parsonage to the east of the sanctuary. But they left. One day, I noted this sign (above). Not very prepossessing!

Now, a more mainstream firm is in charge. Light industrial? How sad. And next door to a lovely old Victorian house on the corner.

There are paying occupants in portions of the buildings: an aikido dojo (which is actually a more spiritual use than many others might be) plus a drug abuse center, which posts mysterious color messages in its second- level window (below.) Unfortunately, its clients are careless with their fast food packaging.

The Prescott Fine Arts Association is long settled into this former house of worship. Another non-profit appears to have taken over the St. Luke's Marina property. Surely there's a better future for that Gurley Street building. I can't imagine conversion to condos would make units pricier than those in that new creekside building, for instance!