32nd Street Baptist Church: Difference between revisions
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==Present congregation== | ==Present congregation== | ||
The 32nd Street Baptist Church | The congregation of the 32nd Street Baptist Church moved to 3012 [[Dowell Avenue Southwest]] in Powderly. The 1,000-seat building was closed and put up for sale in [[2009]] after the church failed to keep up with its mortgage payments. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 10:18, 8 March 2009
The 32nd Street Baptist Church is a former church building, located at 518 32nd Street South in the Lakeview district which is presently being converted to loft apartments. The church served a predominantly-black congregation organized in the early part of the 20th century as the Rising Star Baptist Church until the congregation relocated in 1995 to the Powderly neighborhood.
During the Civil rights movement, the church served as a meeting place for the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights.
Former pastors include Ellis M. Morton (1921-40), C. L. Franklin, C. H. Parker (1946-83) and Roy C. Allen (1984-present).
1924 Building
The building was constructed in 1924 to designs by African American architect Wallace Rayfield, replacing an earlier frame structure that was erected on the site in 1910.
The building is a stop on the Freedom Trail and has been under consideration for National Historic Landmark status. It was measured and photographed in 1996 by Richard K. Anderson and Jet Lowe for the Historic American Buildings Survey.
The vacant church building was purchased in 2004 by Christy Hotz and Albany, Georgia attorney Bob Beauchamp. They worked with Joey Longoria of Sims Architectural Studio to redesign the space into eight luxury condominium apartments featuring double-height ceilings and tall windows. Although most of the pews were sold, eight were salvaged and will be included in the new lofts.
The condominiums are being marketed under the name Rayfield Legacy as construction continues. Recently the building has been put back on the market.
Present congregation
The congregation of the 32nd Street Baptist Church moved to 3012 Dowell Avenue Southwest in Powderly. The 1,000-seat building was closed and put up for sale in 2009 after the church failed to keep up with its mortgage payments.
References
- Brock, Glenny. (April 6, 2006) "At home in the Lord's house: Historic church turns residential in the Lakeview district." Birmingham Weekly.
- "Developer gives stained-glass window to Civil Rights Institute" (August 5, 2005) Birmingham Business Journal.
- Anderson, Richard K. (1996) "32nd Street Baptist Church Recording Project". Historic American Buildings Survey. National Park Service. Sheet 1 of 1.
External links
- Thirty-Second Street Baptist Church drawings and photographs at the Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)
- Rayfield Legacy project website