The Frank Furness-designed church buildings at 47th and Kingsessing were days away from demolition but are now undergoing renovation. (Photos by Mike Lyons / West Philly Local)
Renovation has begun on the 114-year-old Frank Furness-designed church at 47th and Kingsessing to convert it to commercial space that will likely house schools and save it from demolition.
The church building had fallen into such a state of disrepair that neighbors feared it may collapse. The City agreed and condemned the building, erected a chain-link fence and “cleaned” and “sealed” the building last June. Demolition seemed days away, but a local landlord, a historic preservationist and former Mayor Wilson Goode Sr. joined forces to convince the city to allow it to be sold and renovated.
After attempts to persuade the Department of Licenses and Inspections to remove the demolition decree didn’t work, Guy Laren, who owns several properties in West Philadelphia, and Penn historic preservation professor Aaron Wunsch asked for some help from Goode, who is chair of Partners for Sacred Spaces.
“What ultimately saved the church was Aaron’s unwillingness to give up,” said Laren by e-mail, who bought the main church building and the adjacent parish building.
The “Parish House” building adjacent to the main church building.
Laren said Wunsch boarded up windows to keep scrappers out and then courted Goode, who helped usher the purchase through the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
“The skies suddenly cleared,” said Laren.
They now have time to do the necessary repairs to shore up the church and hopefully satisfy L and I. Laren said he attracted two tenants, both schools, to occupy the space.
“I have two excellent potential tenants for most of the space inside the church,” he said. “Hopefully their tenancies will allow me to pay to renovate and restore the church.”
“If everything works out as I hope, there will be some additional space in the sanctuary that I can try to build out as either residential apartments or some other commercial use.”
The church’s latest tenant was the small congregation of St. Peter’s Church of Christ, which had occupied the church since 1979 and was reluctant to consider leasing the space to help pay for renovations.
– Mike Lyons
January 20th, 2015 at 11:49 am
This is Awesome!
January 20th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
…what schools? Charter schools?
January 20th, 2015 at 2:51 pm
Heartfelt congratulations and thank-you to Guy Laren and Aaron Wunsch for their remarkable efforts toward preserving this wonderful complex. Good luck with the renovations.
January 20th, 2015 at 3:13 pm
Anon – We believe one will be an existing pre-school that will move in and we haven’t confirmed the other. We’ll let you know when we do. Guy Laren did not say.
January 20th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
I am impressed that Guy Laren has stepped up to tackle this challenge on behalf of the neighborhood. Make no mistake: repurposing & selling a historic building, especially one designed for a very-special use such as worship, isn’t easy & isn’t a guaranteed home run. And while Laren has made a good living from this neighborhood over the years, he cannot bring a major-league bankroll to this venture.
But what a beautiful building! And what an anchor on the SW corner of University City! If we can make something fly, hats off to whomever pull it off. If not … we can always tear it down later, & build cheap by-right private dorms for USciences kids….
January 20th, 2015 at 4:32 pm
I am thrilled that these structures will be saved! I detect a buzz in the vicinity of Woodland/ 47th St.
January 20th, 2015 at 6:33 pm
That’s great news. We walked past this just yesterday and I thought it looked ready to renovate instead of demolish. Great job all around to everyone who helped keep this building alive!
January 20th, 2015 at 7:10 pm
Thank you, West Philly Local, for keeping us informed. I’ve been wondering about all the work that has been done, when last I’d heard the building was a goner. So thankful to all involved.
January 20th, 2015 at 8:00 pm
Thank you to Aaron Wunsch, Guy Laren, and Mayor Goode for working creatively and collaboratively to save this wonderful building for the neighborhood and City. Thank you as well to the former owners and L&I for working in good faith with Laren, Wunsch, and Goode to make this happen. It is precisely the sort of work the shamefully ineffectual Historical Commission should be doing while also serving as a model for what could be done with the 40th and Pine Mansion. UPenn and Near Neighbors–take notice! Finally, thank you to West Philly Local for covering a story that will, with luck, inspire similar community preservation projects.
January 20th, 2015 at 10:06 pm
Glad to hear about some of the details that kept this building upright.
For those who don’t know, work started on the roofing and pointing several months ago and continues on. Regardless of what happens in the future I believe the whole UC community owes a real heart felt round of thanks to those who had a hand in saving this building. Besides being an important building in the history of Furness designed churches, this is SO MUCH BETTER then anything that would have been built in its place, especially when you think of the crap that’s going up in the surrounding area. THANKS
Now, if we could just get Penn and the crazies at Spruce Hill to see the light at 40th & Pine————
January 20th, 2015 at 10:39 pm
Thank you thank you thank you! I have been watching this wonderful building disintegrate for years. So wonderful that it will be saved.
January 21st, 2015 at 6:54 am
I’m pleased to say that the Children’s Community School, a preschool that’s been housed in the Calvary Center for the last five years, will be the tenant in the parish house part of the property! I’m a teacher and administrator at CCS, and we couldn’t be more excited about the move, or more grateful to Mr. Laren for everything he’s already done.
January 22nd, 2015 at 7:22 am
How wonderful! Laren, Wunsch, and Goode are heroes! Thanks to all who are making this happen. This is the sort of development that enhances what is unique about West Phil and helps to bring out its beauty and character, while adding value and vitality to an area of the neighborhood that will truly benefit from the development.
January 26th, 2015 at 6:17 am
This is fantastic news ! Hopefully there’s space to wrap that beautiful structure is greenery.
June 15th, 2016 at 4:33 pm
can someone please inform me of guy Lauren’s Contact information, it is no where to be found and I rent a house through his jerk landlord and need to contact him aaap.